Three tough innings on Wednesday prevented the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff from repeating Tuesday’s heroics.
The UAPB baseball team fell 22-6 in seven innings to Eastern Illinois at the Torii Hunter Baseball Complex as the teams split their two-game midweek series.
Head coach Logan Stout said UAPB elected to save its best pitchers for conference play, which resumes this Friday through Sunday at Alcorn State. With those pitchers unavailable and others having pitched in Tuesday’s win against the Panthers, others needed to step up Wednesday.
“The unfortunate reality is, those pitchers didn’t throw strikes, and they haven’t thrown strikes all year,” Stout said. “You look at the bad games that are lopsided, it was because of the same story line. But again, you’re limited to a certain size roster, and I gotta protect the pitchers that do throw strikes for the games that are meaningful. Not that we don’t want to win all of them. We certainly do, but conference is our priority.”
Eastern Illinois (7-11) scored 4 runs in the third inning, 6 runs in the fifth and 12 runs in the seventh. The Panthers tallied 14 hits, drew 14 walks and were hit by three pitches.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
UAPB (2-20) led 5-4 entering the fifth inning. Relief pitcher Harish Balachandran retired the first two hitters he saw but walked the next three, the third being intentional to load the bases before Nate Monceaux took over. A walk, 2-RBI double and 2-run homer gave the Panthers a 10-5 lead.
EIU sent 16 hitters to the plate in the seventh inning. UAPB did not record an out until the 11th hitter grounded out.
Panther first baseman Tyler Castro and substitute Mike O’Conor finished with a team-high 3 RBI apiece. Both scored 3 times, as did leadoff hitter Chris Worcester. Every member of the starting lineup scored at least once, while seven starters and four substitutes drove in a run.
UAPB pitching did not allow a run in the other four innings, but the Golden Lions went through eight pitchers in the seven-inning affair. Starting pitcher Chris Bedgood was the only one to complete two innings. Relievers Jaedon Willis and Ben VanMaanen were the only ones not to allow a run.
Willis did not allow a hit after relieving Bedgood in the third with no outs. He hit a batter and gave up a sacrifice fly which scored two inherited runners before retiring the next two hitters he faced to end the inning.
VanMaanen entered with one out in the seventh inning. He struck out the first hitter he saw and made a play at the plate to end the inning as a runner tried to steal home. The other pitchers allowed 2 or more runs apiece.
UAPB tallied 11 hits but drew just two walks, and EIU recorded four outs on the base paths: one on a double play, one in a rundown between second and third, and two at home plate.
Stout said the outs on the base paths partially resulted from players trying to do too much.
“That happens sometimes,” Stout said. “When you’re out on the field for 30, 45 minutes while your pitchers are throwing ball, ball, ball, ball, ball, it’s really hard to stay focused and get momentum going, and then you try to press and do too much and overcompensate for what’s happening. I told the guys, ‘You can’t let that happen, man.’”
Left fielder Carlos Rodriguez-Velez hit 2 for 3 with a team-high 2 RBI. Second baseman Collin McLemore and centerfielder Eli Gries-Smith each hit 2 for 3 with an RBI and 2 runs. VanMaanen, who started the game at third base before pitching in the seventh inning, hit 2 for 4.