FORT SMITH, Ark. – SWOSU Baseball picked up a 2-1 victory over Arkansas-Fort Smith to earn a series victory over the Lions on Saturday before UAFS responded with a no-hit 2-0 victory in the finale to split a Saturday doubleheader at Crowder Field.
SWOSU 2, Arkansas-Fort Smith 1Box Score The Bulldogs did all their damage offensively in the third inning as they held off the Lions for the victory as a pitching duel broke out in the first game of the day.
SWOSU recorded just five hits in the game, while UAFS had four hits and four errors, including one that led to a Bulldog run.
Tyler Rapp got the offense started with a bunt single before advancing to second on a wild pitch and third on a throwing error by Fort Smith. He ended up scoring the game's first run on a sacrifice fly from
Trent Troxell as
Dalton Daniels also moved into scoring position.
Zach Barton attempted to steal second with two outs in the inning and got stuck in a pickle long enough for Daniels to come across and score SWOSU's second run of the inning.
From that point on, SWOSU put the game in the hands of
Austin Hilton, who threw 5.0 innings while allowing just four hits and one earned run as he picked up the victory and improved to 2-3 on the year.
Taylor Weifenbach picked up his third save of the season with three strikeouts while not allowing a hit in the final two frames.
Arkansas-Fort Smith 2, SWOSU 0Box Score The Bulldogs were held without a hit in the series finale as Fort Smith scored twice in the bottom of the fourth inning to secure the victory. SWOSU held the Lions to just four hits, but one of those was a two-run home run that proved to be the difference.
Conner Garcia got the start for SWOSU and took the loss after allowing those two runs on four hits while also striking out two batters in four innings and he falls to 1-4 on the year.
Ethan Davis tossed the final two innings for the Bulldogs without allowing a hit.
"I'm pleased with the way our guys played this weekend, taking the first two games of this series," SWOSU Head Coach
Zack Saunders said after the games. "Obviously, we didn't finish the way we wanted to but there are a lot of positives we can take from this weekend as we try to keep improving for the stretch run in league play."
Following the series, the Bulldogs are 13-15 overall heading into a midweek game at Fort Hays State on Wednesday. SWOSU then returns to Great American Conference play next weekend with a three-game series at Henderson State.
