Neither baseball team had its ace available Thursday night, leading to a high-scoring series opener in which Alabama State defeated the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff 14-10 at Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex in Montgomery, Ala.
Both teams turned to pitchers who had not started a weekend game all season with neither UAPB ace Jalen Porter nor Alabama State ace Jorhan LaBoy starting in their typical spots in the rotation.
The Golden Lions (14-18, 7-3 SWAC) turned to left-handed pitcher Jack Hasten, typically a midweek starter and weekend reliever. Alabama State (13-15, 4-6) went with top reliever Camden Matthews, a right-hander who had not started a game despite 12 prior appearances this year.
Matthews was the first to be pulled, exiting with two outs in the third inning, but he ultimately got the better of Hasten. The Alabama State pitcher gave up three runs on eight hits, while Hasten allowed six runs, four of them earned, on four hits in 3 2/3 innings.
UAPB led 4-2 entering the bottom of the fourth inning. Alabama State second baseman Alex Espaillat reached base on a leadoff error by his UAPB counterpart, Konner Giddley, then made it to third base on a wild pitch before catcher Trey Callaway hit an RBI single to trim the lead to one.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
After Hasten struck out the next hitter, he induced a ground ball from designated hitter Cale Clark toward UAPB shortstop Aaron Grant. Grant scooped up the potential double play ball and tagged second base for the second out but flipped the ball toward the mound as if the inning was over rather than throwing to first base, allowing Clark to reach safely.
Alabama State made UAPB pay for the mistake by scoring another five runs in the inning, including a two-run home run from centerfielder Niguel Jenkins to take an 8-4 lead.
The Hornets later led 10-5 before the Golden Lions tied the game with a five-run sixth inning which included a two-RBI double by third baseman Zach Wieder and a game-tying RBI single by Giddley, but a wild pitch and passed ball allowed Alabama State to score two runs in the bottom half to retake the lead for good.
UAPB did not score in the final three innings as it dropped its first SWAC series opener of the season. The Hornets’ win was their first in a SWAC series opener this season.
The second game of the series is set for 6 p.m. Friday on SWAC TV.