Feb. 4, 2006

Final Stats

NACOGDOCHES - In their much anticipated return to SFA, the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks are 1-0 after they defeated Arkansas-Little Rock, 6-5, in Game 1 of opening day's doubleheader Saturday at Jaycees Field at the Nacogdoches Baseball Complex.

UALR took an early lead when Derek Eilers scored the first run of the game on a Jacob Stover double. The Trojans kept the lead until the bottom of the fifth inning, when the `Jacks tied things up on freshman Adam Bosley's single down the left line to drive home junior Rickey Thomas, who walked.

In the sixth inning, after being issued a walk and advancing to second on a passed ball, junior Corey O'Connor advanced to third on an error by Trojan third baseman Brian Smiley. O'Connor eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Thomas to give the `Jacks a 2-1 lead.

SFA would add on three more runs in the bottom of the seventh to make it a 5-1 game, but the Trojans responded with four runs of their own in the top of the eighth to tie it up at five.

The `Jacks tacked on a run in the bottom of the eighth when Bosley singled through the right side to score sophomore Buck Britton. The run was Bosley's team-high second RBI of the game.

Freshman pitchers Jared Schrom and Erich Lehmann were called in relief in the bottom of the ninth to ensure the win for the Lumberjacks, 6-5. Schrom earned the win and Lehmann took the save, the first for both in their collegiate careers.

Freshman designated hitter, Hunter Bell, had a 2-3 performance with a run scored. Buck Britton went 1-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Catcher Steven Hill also went 2-for-4, as did Bosley.

In Game 2, after being down 9-4 in the seventh inning, junior designated hitter, Steven Hill hit a three-run home run to bring the `Jacks within two. Play was suspended, however, at the end of the seventh inning due to darkness.

The Lumberjacks and Trojans will resume play Sunday at noon to finish Game 2. The third game will begin thirty minutes later at Jaycees Field at the Nacogdoches Baseball Complex.

-SFA-