Jared Toler went 4-for-4 with two doubles on Wednesday afternoon, helping the Arkansas State baseball team to a 13-3 run-rule victory in seven innings over Mississippi Valley State at Tomlinson Stadium-Kell Field.
Toler’s career-best four-hit day was part of a 14-hit performance for A-State (2-4), which also played error-free baseball. He reached base in all five of his plate appearances, scoring twice and driving in two runs.
The Delta Devils (2-5) once again scored first, but the Scarlet and Black poured on the runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings to put the game out of reach. MVSU temporarily staved off the run-rule with two runs in the top of the seventh, but Brandon Ulmer touched home in the seventh to close out the contest.
A-State used nine pitchers in the ballgame, with Tyler Jeans tossing an inning in the starting nod. Treshon Paschal (1-0) earned his first collegiate win with a three-up, three-down frame in the third. Will Nash, Jake Algee and Jakob Frederick pitched an inning apiece, while Austin Brock, Brandon Anderson, Mickey Coyne and Kevin Wiseman also pitched, recording at least one out. The Red Wolves’ pitching staff only walked two batters, striking out six.
In addition to Toler, three other Red Wolves tallied multiple hits. Ben Klutts, Jaylon Deshazier and Cooper Tremmel each recorded a pair of hits, with Klutts driving in three runs. Deshazier pushed across two runs, while Wil French scored all three times he reached base.
Maury Weaver scored the game’s first run when he scored from third on an RBI single by Ty Washington in the first. MVSU starter Isaiah Valenzuela (1-2) held the A-State lineup in check in his first trip through the lineup, stranding runners in scoring position in the first two frames.
A-State pushed across three runs in the third to take the lead for good. After Jacob Hager leadoff hit, he advanced to second on a wild pitch. A walk to French followed, before both scored when an errant throw to first by Valenzuela on Toler’s sacrifice attempt sailed into the right field corner. Toler then scored on the next pitch when Klutts lined a single up the middle.
Two more scored in the fourth for the Red Wolves when a double by French scored Eli Davis. Toler then doubled to right, driving in French.
Arkansas State sent 11 batters to the plate in the fifth, putting up seven runs and making it 12-1. Coyne singled home Tremmel, who reached on a one-out double, then Davis drove in two with a base hit. The Red Wolves then went on to score four runs with two outs on an RBI single by Toler and two-run double by Klutts, followed by a Deshazier single.
The Delta Devils forced the bottom half of the seventh with two runs in the top of the inning, as Booker scored Eric Johnson II with a sacrifice fly, followed by an RBI single by Weaver.
After the stretch, Ulmer reached on a leadoff walk, and then moved to third on a Toler single, putting the game-ending run 90-feet away. Klutts walked to load the bases before Deshazier hit a sacrifice fly to right that fell to the Kell Field grass, allowing Ulmer to cross home and end the contest.
NEXT UP
The Red Wolves continue their seven-game home stand to open the 2022 home docket Friday, hosting Illinois State to open a three-game set. First pitch for Friday’s lid-lifter is slated for 4 p.m.
