NORTH
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (5/8/12) — Third baseman Zach George went 3-for-4 with an RBI
and designated hitter Daniel Short was 2-for-3 with two runs driven in to lead
the Arkansas State Red Wolves (27-19) to a 7-3 victory over the Arkansas Pine
Bluff Golden Lions (8-38-1) Tuesday afternoon in the State Farm Classic at
Dickey-Stephens Park.
Arkansas
State led 4-3 heading into the bottom of the eighth, but the Red Wolves added
three insurance runs in the bottom of the inning to put the game away.
“Every run
is important, and we were fortunate to be able to push across some runs late,”
said ASU head coach Tommy Raffo. “And we
were thrilled to have the opportunity to play in Dickey-Stephens Park against
our Division I, in-state brethren. It's
a big thing for the people of central Arkansas, and it needs to happen more
often.”
Arkansas
State struck first, getting an RBI single from third baseman Alex Potts in the
second, but the Golden Lions answered with a run in the top of the third,
getting an RBI double from catcher Sean Samsa to tie the game at 1-1.
Short
bounced a two-out, two-run double off of the left field wall to drive in a pair
of third-inning runs and put the Red Wolves back on top 3-1. An ASU error in the fifth allowed UAPB to
score its second run of the game, and the ASU lead stayed at 3-2 until a seventh-inning
sacrifice fly from A-State right fielder Kaleb Brown bumped the Red Wolves'
advantage to 4-2.
Center
fielder Cornelius Williams led off the eighth with a solo home run to put the
Golden Lions back within a run at 4-3, but the Red Wolves answered with three
runs in the bottom of the inning to go up 7-3.
Catcher Stuart Levy doubled, stole third and scored on a base hit from
shortstop Dustin Jones to make it 5-3, and an RBI triple from second baseman
Zach Maggio increased the ASU advantage to 6-3.
Maggio scored the Red Wolves' final run on a sacrifice to center field
from George.
Sophomore
Cody Woodhouse picked up the win on the mound for ASU, giving up one run on
three hits in four innings of work. One
of five pitchers to see action on the day for ASU, Woodhouse (1-2) walked one
and struck out one.
Junior
Jordan Sechler (0-4) took the loss for UAPB, giving up seven runs on seven hits
in seven and one-third innings on the mound.
Sechler threw 125 pitches on the day, striking out three and walking
two.
The Red
Wolves will return to action this weekend when they host the Golden Panthers of
Florida International in a Sun Belt Conference weekend series at Tomlinson
Stadium and Kell Field. The series will
get underway Friday, May 11 at 6:00 p.m., with the Saturday game scheduled for
4:00 p.m. ASU fans should note that the Sunday game has been changed to an
11:00 a.m. start to accommodate FIU's travel arrangements back to Miami.
GAME NOTES
- The game was the first-ever for
ASU at Dickey-Stephens Park.
- Senior designated hitter Daniel
Short had the first multiple-RBI game of his career. The game was also his second
multiple-hit game of the season and third of his career.
- With the win, ASU improved to
9-1 all-time against UAPB and the Red Wolves have won eight consecutive in
the series. The Red Wolves also
posted a 4-2 victory over UAPB earlier this season, defeating the Golden
Lions in Jonesboro.
- Junior Zach Maggio's
eighth-inning triple was the first of his career.
- First baseman Zach George had
his fourth three-hit game of the season and the first since March 10 vs.
Northern Illinois.
- Right fielder Kaleb Brown had a
pair of sacrifice bunts and a sacrifice fly on the day.
