FORT SMITH, Ark. – Junior second baseman Morgan Crenshaw hit a walk-off to left center in game one and sophomore third baseman Brooks Sunny hit the first home run of the year for the Lions as they split a doubleheader with St. Edward's at Crowder Field Friday.
The Lions are now 4-7, 3-5 LSC, while St. Edward's goes to 4-4, 4-4 LSC.
The rubber match of the series takes place at 1 p.m. Saturday.
UAFS 6, SEU 5
Crenshaw delivered a two-out single to left center to score junior leftfielder Baxter Mays for the walk-off win as the Lions scored four runs over the final four innings to complete the comeback.
Sunny reached on a single to lead off the ninth, but was erased on a double play. Mays and junior first baseman Nolan Riley had back-to-back walks, setting up Crenshaw for the game-winning hit.
Riley started the scoring for the Lions in the third with a two-run single scoring junior shortstop Brenden Williams and Sunny.
The Hilltoppers responded with four runs in the top of the fourth, and held that lead until the seventh.
Leading off the seventh, Sunny homered to left to trim the deficit to 4-3.
After St. Edward's added a run in the top of the eighth, but the Lions tied it with two in the bottom half of the inning. UAFS nearly ran themselves out of the inning on the bases, but pinch hitter Logan Easley drove in a run with a triple to right center before scoring the tying run on a wild pitch.
Sunny went 3-for-4 at the plate with two runs and an RBI on a cloudy day, with sophomore centerfielder Cash Balentine also collecting three hist and scoring a run.
Freshman lefty Nico Sharp picked up his third win of the year by tossing the final two outs of the ninth. The UAFS bullpen allowed just four hits and one run over five innings. Starter Logan Grand struck out five over four innings, allowing four runs.
SEU 2, UAFS 1
Chase Cos drove in both runs for the Hilltoppers, driving in the game-winning run in the eighth on a fielder's choice. He also homered in the fourth inning.
Brayden Johnson matched Hilltopper pitcher Jack Granack pitch for pitch through the first six innings of a pitcher's duel. Johnson allowed one run on four hits with four strikeouts before exiting after 5.2 innings of work.
Granack would toss a complete game, allowing just one run on one hit.
Crenshaw collected the only hit of the game for the Lions to lead off the fourth, and advanced to third on a hit by pitch and sac bunt. He would come around to score on an RBI groundout by Easley to tie the game at 1-1.
Sunny walked twice as the only other baserunner for the Lions in the game.
