An inside-the-park home run kicked off a huge sixth inning as the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff started SWAC softball play with a run-rule win.
UAPB defeated Alcorn State 13-4 in six innings on Friday at the Torii Hunter Softball Complex. The second game of the three-game series began afterward but was postponed due to darkness just after 6 p.m. with Alcorn leading 5-3 entering the seventh inning.
With rain expected Saturday, the remainder of the series will be made up at a later date.
UAPB (3-11, 1-0 SWAC) walked off the Lady Braves in the first game with a six-run sixth inning that featured two plays in which the hitter scored.
Lady Lions Coach Michael Bumpers said his team showed its potential by putting the game away rather than being satisfied with the 7-4 lead going into the sixth.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
“That’s that fight that they have in them, but I just gotta keep it seven innings every time we step out and play,” Bumpers said. “We still kind of young and doing some things that, kind of, not-so-great plays here and there. If we can just fine-tune games and play seven innings strong, then I think we’re going to be pretty good this year.”
Designated player Kamea Suenarine led off the inning with an inside-the-park home run on a hit which reached the center field wall, extending the Lady Lions’ lead to 8-4.
Alcorn State (9-10, 0-1) relief pitcher Alaina Felton then hit third baseman Janai Mathis with a pitch and gave up a double to second baseman Lyric Perry. Mathis’ pinch runner, Hannah Hicks, later scored on a wild pitch.
After the next two hitters walked to load the bases, shortstop Janiah Wilson hit a single to center which Alcorn center fielder Yahnya Acevedo misplayed. The ball rolled to the wall as all four baserunners scored, ending the game with no outs in the sixth inning.
Wilson said she had a lot of fun running the bases on the final play.
“I didn’t really think I could do that,” Wilson said. “I didn’t really think that was even possible for me, but wow. It felt really good just to win for my team.”
Wilson received credit for two RBI on the play, joining Perry, Seunarine and center fielder Cooper Chasney in finishing the game with two RBI. Seunarine and Mathis drove in runs in the first inning to give the Lady Lions a 2-0 lead. UAPB added two runs in the second, two in the third and one in the fifth.
The offensive eruption came after the Lady Lions had a six-game scoreless streak over the course of the past two weekends, which included Northwestern State no-hitting UAPB on Feb. 27.
Bumpers said the offense woke up Friday.
“We worked, trying to fine-tune some things with certain hitters,” Bumpers said. “Hit the ball well last week, just hit it right at them. We didn’t strike out a lot, but we just didn’t get the hits that we thought we could get. They kind of woke up a little bit today, the first game.”
UAPB starting pitcher Kaydrian Fields (1-2) pitched the first five innings, allowing two earned runs on seven hits. Danika Bryant pitched a scoreless sixth.
The Lady Lions chased Alcorn starter Chiara Olison (6-5) after three innings. She allowed five earned runs on nine hits. Felton allowed five earned runs in relief on five hits.
The offense slowed down in Friday’s second game. UAPB trailed 2-0 before Perry and right fielder Ariana Gonzalez drove in a run apiece in the fourth. Fields, now playing designated player, gave UAPB a 3-2 lead an inning later on a sacrifice fly, but the Lady Braves scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a 5-3 lead.
Alcorn pulled starting pitcher Olivia Miller to start the bottom of the sixth, but reliever Se’Marai Smith left the game with an apparent leg injury after two pitches. An ambulance later arrived as she was loaded onto a stretcher moments before the game was called due to darkness. Olison pitched the remainder of the inning.
UAPB starter Heidi Price pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing five runs on seven hits. Seunarine pitched the rest of the game until it was called.