Stephen F. Austin defeated Utah Tech 6-5 in the 10th inning for the second extra-inning game this series to win their fifth straight game. The Lumberjacks improve to 11-12 (WAC 5-4) as the Trailblazers fall to 7-18 (WAC 2-4).
Conner Woods got the call to start on the mound for the Lumberjacks today and produced a solid start as he held the Trailblazers scoreless in the first five innings, allowing only two base hits and striking out four.
Peyton Parker put the first run on the board in the fourth inning by smashing a solo home run to left field, his fourth long ball of the year. The 'Jacks kept the scoring going into the fifth inning, first with a Nolan Brown RBI double to left center. Alex Rodgers then stepped up to the plate next and drove in two more with a single through the left side, bringing the score to 4-0 SFA after five.
The Trailblazers were finally able to get a hold of Woods' pitches in the bottom of the sixth as they put up three runs with three straight hits (double-single-double). A throwing error on the next batter allowed another run to score, tying the game at 4-4.
Both bullpens held their own as the last three innings of regulation saw no hits from either side, but it didn't come without excitement as in the bottom of the ninth inning, Garrett Gearner got his way out of a bases loaded, two out, 3-2 count situation by striking out the Trailblazer at-bat to force the game into extras.
With a runner on first the Lumberjacks in the top of the 10th inning, Brown stepped up and produced his second clutch home run of the weekend, crushing a ball over the left field wall to give SFA the 6-4 lead heading into the bottom half of the inning.
Gearner was able to hold the Trailblazers to just one run off a sacrifice fly in their last at-bat and close out the win for the Lumberjacks to sweep the series against the Trailblazers. Gearner collected his team-leading fourth win of the season as the Lumberjacks are now 5-for-5 in extra inning games in the season.
Brown showed off his offensive power for the second day in a row as he went 2-for-3 with two runs and three RBIs. Clayton Loranger, Tom Biggs, Scout Sanders, and Hunter Prescher made up the rest of the Lumberjack hits today, each picking up one of their own.
The Lumberjacks look to keep their winning streak going into next week with their next WAC series against Sacramento State on the 'Jacks' home turf, first game being Thursday, March 30th with first pitch at 6:30 p.m.
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