SAN ANGELO, Texas – University of Arkansas – Fort Smith Baseball saw its season come to an end Saturday, as it dropped the winner-take-all game three at Angelo State in the opening round of the Lone Star Conference Tournament, 10-1.
The Lions won game two earlier in the day, 13-4, to force game three.
UAFS pounded out 16 hits and had three homers in game two to back a strong start on the mound by right-hander Foster Pace. The homers came courtesy of Brooks Sunny, Dylan Hurt and Morgan Crenshaw.
After Sunny's solo shot started the scoring in the second, UAFS received RBI singles by centerfielder Cash Balentine and Hurt for a 3-0 lead. The Lions then doubled that lead in the sixth on an RBI single by right fielder Hunter Church and a two-run single by shortstop Brenden Williams.
Hurt's big day continued as he smacked a two-run homer for an 8-0 lead through six innings.
That proved to be more than enough run support for Pace, who pitched into the seventh inning. He finished with 6.0 innings of work, allowing three runs on nine hits while striking out two. He kept the Rams off the scoreboard for the first five innings.
Hurt would drive in two more in the eighth, finishing 3-for-5 with two runs scored and five RBIs. Later in the inning, Crenshaw followed with a two-run homer, his first of the season.
Williams added an RBI single in the ninth for the final run for the Lions, and finished 4-for-5 with three runs and three RBIs.
Unfortunately, the Lions were unable to keep the offensive momentum for game three. UAFS was held to just three hits, scoring its only run in the sixth on an RBI single by Hurt, which pulled the Lions within 4-1.
Lefty Nico Sharp started on the mound in game three, pitching 4.2 innings, allowing four runs on six hits with three punchouts. Sharp also closed out the final 2.1 innings of game one.
UAFS had trailed just 2-0 after four frames, but the Rams scored twice in the bottom of the fifth en route to scoring in each of the final four innings.
UAFS finishes the season with a record of 14-19.
