FORT SMITH, Ark. - University of Arkansas - Fort Smith Baseball split a doubleheader on senior day at Crowder Field against Oklahoma Christian Sunday, winning game one, 12-9, before falling in the nightcap, 9-8.
UAFS now stands at 13-16, 12-14 LSC and Oklahoma Christian goes to 22-11, 19-10 LSC.
Game three of the series will be Monday at noon at Crowder Field.
UAFS 12, OC 9
The Lions belted three home runs in the opener and scored 12 runs on 15 hits following a senior day presentation prior to the game.
Third baseman Brooks Sunny led the charge with a 3-for-4 day with a homer, two runs and three RBIs. Also homering for UAFS were left fielder Logan Easley and catcher Dylan Hurt.
After the Eagles took a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first on a home run, Easley answered with a two-run shot of his own in the bottom of the inning.
Oklahoma Christian hit another homer in the top of the third, but the Lions responded once again with three runs on a Sunny RBI single and a two-run double by first baseman Nolan Riley.
UAFS then added to its lead in the fourth on RBIs by centerfielder Cash Balentine and second baseman Morgan Crenshaw. However, OC tied it at 7-7 in the top of the fifth.
Hurt then launched his second homer of the season over the scoreboard in the sixth to give UAFS the lead for good. Sunny added another RBI in the inning on a single.
Hurt and shortstop Brenden Williams also drove in runs via sac flies to sandwich Sunny's homer as the Lions extended the lead to 12-7.
Riley and Hurt each went 2-for-4 with two RBIs with Hurt scoring twice and Riley once.
Lefty Nico Sharp got the win in relief, tossing 4.2 innings and allowing just two runs on two hits with four strikeouts. Sharp had tossed 4.1 innings before allowing a hit in the ninth.
OC 9, UAFS 8
Four players recorded three hits in game two, but the Lions couldn't overcome four Eagle homers as the teams split the doubleheader.
Balentine, Easley, Riley and Williams all collected three hits as the Lions and Eagles went back-and-forth trading runs.
The Eagles once again scored twice in the first inning, with the Lions responding yet again with RBI singles by Easley and Riley. OC scored twice in the third, so the Lions also scored twice in the third on a two-run single by Williams.
The same rang true in the fourth, as each team tallied a single run. OC would then take the lead again on a two-run homer in the fifth.
UAFS had the first four batters reach in the sixth, but would have to settle for only one run as they left the bases loaded. The Lions left 14 runners on base for the game.
Both teams would then record single tallies in both the seventh and eighth innings. After a Balentine RBI single in the eighth brought the Lions back within one, the tying run was stranded at second.
Lukas Petross took the loss in relief after tossing four innings, surrendering four runs on seven hits with four strikeouts.
