April 23, 2008

Box Score

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - For the second day in a row, the Arkansas baseball team took advantage of a four-run fifth inning to defeat Northern Colorado, this time defeating the Bears 7-1 in the second of a two-game series. NC is now 14-26 on the season, while the Razorbacks are 24-17.

Despite turning two double plays in the game, the Bears had trouble erasing Razorbacks off the base paths, allowing seven runs in the first five innings on eight hits and six walks issued. All-in-all, Arkansas scored seven runs on 10 hits and committed no errors, while Northern Colorado scored one run in the top of the ninth, had six hits on the afternoon and committed one strange error.

In the fifth inning, the Bears thought they were out of a jam when with one out a tailor-made double play ball was hit by Lyons to senior Cory Morales. Morales flipped to T.J. Berge at second who relayed the ball to first-baseman Chad Murray. Lyons beat out the throw and the umpires never called the play dead when head coach Kevin Smallcomb came out of the dugout to discuss the play. Heads-up base running by Smalling scored him from third and Lyons went to second on Murray's throw to the plate, giving him an error and the Razorbacks the 7-0 advantage.

Six different Bears recorded singles on the afternoon, including one in a pinch-hit role by Andrew Tooley, who went on to score the team's only run in the ninth on a base knock by senior Jeff Horn.

Jason Banks (2-4) took the loss for the Bears. He surrendered all seven runs on eight hits in 4.1 innings of work. He walked four and struck out two. Sean Peery threw 1.2 innings, giving up no runs on no hits but walked two. Cody Henry was on the hill for the final 2.0 frames, giving up two hits and striking out one. Brett Eibner (3-1) picked up the win for the Razorbacks.

Northern Colorado returns home to the hitter-friendly Jackson Field for another eight-game homestand which begins Friday at 2:00 p.m. against Dallas Baptist.