HATTIESBURG, Miss. — For the first time in program history, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock baseball team is headed to an NCAA super regional. The Trojans defeated Jacksonville State for the second time in as many nights, besting the Gamecocks 6-3 in the Hattiesburg Regional final to advance late Sunday Evening at Pete Taylor Park. UALR (39-26) extended its streak to eight consecutive victories, winning all three of its outings at the regional and five straight elimination games on its way to the
Ohio Valley Conference Tournament title. The Trojans never trailed Sunday, but they had to use four pitchers to hold off a comeback attempt from Jacksonville State. The Gamecocks knocked Virginia out of the tournament with a 7-6 win earlier Sunday. Left fielder Blake Simpson was named the MVP of the regional. Third baseman Nolan Freund, shortstop Jerdy Lopez, designated hitter Nico Baumbach and pitcher Tag Andrews were named to the all-regional team for UALR. Jacksonville State (48-15) loaded the bases with one out in the
top of the first inning. However, Brady Thomas grounded into an inning-ending 5-3 double play that kept the game scoreless. Lopez opened the scoring with a two-run double to the gap in left-center in the bottom of the second that scored Trey Hill and Cooper Chaplain, giving the Trojans an early 2-0 advantage. Lopez finished with a game-high three hits. UALR added its next run on an unusual play that was scored as a double. Angel Cano hit a pop up straight up in the
air between home plate and the pitcher’s mound with two outs, but Gamecocks catcher Matthew Cash failed to make the routine catch, allowing Simpson to score from third to extend the lead to 3-0. Jacksonville State began to mount a rally in the fourth when Caleb Johnson slapped a two-run single to center that scored Cash and Greg LaChance to cut the deficit to 3-2. The Trojans picked up the next run in the fifth when Freund came around to score on an RBI single
by Baumbach that gave them a 4-2 lead. UALR had a chance to put up a crooked number in the inning, but Gamecocks reliever Jackson Sleeper got out of bases-loaded jam by striking out Ty Rhoades and Hill to end the threat. The Gamecocks pulled within a run with one in the seventh. Cooper Blauser opened the inning with a leadoff single. He then stole second and reached third after Hill committed an error trying to throw him out. Blauser scored on an RBI groundout
from Grayson Ashe to cut the gap to 4-3. Freund hit a two-run single in the ninth that brought Champlain and Lopez around to score, providing a pair of insurance runs and setting the final. The Gamecocks wouldn’t go away quietly, coming up with a bases-loaded threat in the bottom of the ninth and getting the go-ahead run to the plate, but Brody Bunting slammed the door by striking out Luke Williams to end the game. UALR advanced into the super regionals and will travel
to take on the winner of the Gainesville (Fla.) Regional, which will be decided with a winner-takes-all title game Monday evening. Troy knocked off No. 8 national seed Florida 16-11 on Sunday to force the final contest.
UALR Trojans, Jacksonville State Gamecocks, Hattiesburg Regional, NCAA super regional, Pete Taylor Park, Blake Simpson MVP