UAPB Baseball Sweeps Dillard In Weekend Series

The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff baseball team bats and pitching got hot as they defeated Dillard Blue Devils 9-4 and 7-2 this weekend at the Torii Hunter Baseball Complex.  With the win, UAPB extended their streak to six games.

GAME 1 | UAPB 9, Dillard 4

Senior Jacob Riordan was mowing people down on Saturday, punching out 10 Dillard hitters over seven innings of work to help lead the UAPB Golden Lions over the Bleu Devils 9-4.

In addition to his 10 strikeouts, Riordan went seven innings, giving up three runs, all of them earned, on four hits and walking two for UAPB.

At the plate, the Golden Lions were led by junior Ben Van Maanen, who went 1-for-2 on the day with a home run, a walk and four RBI. Junior Isiah Cohens put together a standout day at the dish as well, going 2-for-3 with two walks and an RBI. Junior Brad Mican also chipped in for UAPB, putting together one hit in three trips to the plate while adding an RBI.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Golden Lions were trailing 3-0 in the third inning when they first put runs on the board. UAPB scored three times, all of them coming across on a three-run homer off the bat of VanMaanen.

The game remained tied until the fifth inning, when the Golden Lions got going again on offense. UAPB scored once on an RBI single off the bat of Mican, which brought the Golden Lions lead to 4-3.

UAPB held Dillard without a run before building their lead to 5-3 in the seventh inning.

The Bleu Devils gained ground, closing the gap to 5-4 until UAPB added some insurance in the eighth. The Golden Lions scored four runs in the inning, highlighted by a one-run single off the bat of Cohens, bringing the UAPB advantage to 9-4. The score remained 9-4 for the rest of the game, as the Golden Lions coasted to the win.

GAME NOTES
» Riordan struck out 10 Bleu Devils hitters.
» The Golden Lions pitching staff combined to strike out 12 Dillard hitters.
» UAPB’s highest scoring inning was the eighth, when it pushed four runs across.
» The Golden Lions out-hit the Bleu Devils at an 8-6 clip.
» Cohens stole four bases in Saturday’s game.
» The Golden Lions stole six bases as a team.
» VanMaanen led the Golden Lions at the plate, going 1-for-2 with a home run and four RBI.
GAME 2 | UAPB 7, Dillard 2

The Golden Lions took a 3-1 lead in the second inning and never surrendered the advantage on the way to a 7-2 win over the Dillard Bleu Devils on Saturday.

Sophomore Carlos Velez led the way offensively for the Golden Lions, going 2-for-3 in the ballgame with a triple, two walks and an RBI. Junior Ben  Van Maanen put together a standout day at the plate as well, going 1-for-3 with a double, a walk and two RBI. Senior JaKobi Jackson also contributed, going 2-for-4 for UAPB with a double, a walk and an RBI.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Trailing 1-0, the Golden Lions first put runs on the board in the first inning. Junior Isiah Cohens came across to score the lone run of the inning for UAPB and get them on the board.

The score stayed at 1-1 until the very next inning, when the Golden Lions put runs on the scoreboard once again. UAPB put up two runs in the frame, punctuated with an RBI triple off the bat of Velez, which brought the Golden Lions lead to 3-1.

Dillard narrowed UAPB’s lead to 3-2 before the Golden Lions stretched the advantage to 5-2 in the fourth inning. The Golden Lions picked up two runs when a single from junior Edwin De La Cruz brought home Van Maanen and Jackson.

UAPB kept the Bleu Devils scoreless before expanding their lead in the sixth inning. Velez crossed home plate with the lone run of the inning for the Golden Lions, bringing the score to 6-2 in favor of UAPB.

The Golden Lions held Dillard scoreless before building on their lead to 7-2 in the eighth inning. Velez came across to score the lone run of the inning for UAPB and get them on the board. The score remained 7-2 for the rest of the game, as the Golden Lions coasted to the win.

GAME NOTES
» UAPB’s highest scoring inning was the fourth, when it pushed two runs across.
» The Golden Lions had control of the rest of the game after moving ahead of the Bleu Devils 3-1 in the bottom of the second.
» Senior Brandon Little put together 6.2 innings of two-run ball for the Golden Lions.
» The Golden Lions out-hit the Bleu Devils at an 8-6 clip.

The Golden Lions will be back in action Tuesday and Wednesday, March 14-15, against Eastern Illinois. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.