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Trojans suffer heartbreaking extra inning loss

Creighton scored four runs in the 11th inning to steal the game and secure the sweep
Credit: Little Rock Athletics

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The Trojans suffered a heart-breaking 12-10 loss in extra innings on Sunday afternoon as Creighton would roar back from a four-run deficit and eventually take the lead in the eleventh inning to steal the game and complete the series sweep.
 
"Today was indicative and a reflection of the entire weekend," said Head Coach Chris Curry. "It doesn't matter when you're scoring runs, that can be misleading, we had entirely too many mistakes to count, both mental and physical. We didn't deserve to win one game this weekend against a good club that's got some really good players. Yes, there's fight and heart in our clubhouse but this is Division one baseball and pretty much everyone is going to fight you and play hard."
 
Troy Alexander, Ryan Benavidez and freshman Miguel Soto paced the Trojan offense with two hits each. Chase Coker tallied three RBI on the day and notched a double to his name. James Gann came on as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning and hit a home run, his first of the season.
 
Creighton got their bats rolling early with two first-inning runs to jump out to a quick 2-0 lead. Starting pitcher Pablo Ortiz would respond, however, by recording a perfect inning in the second frame.
 
Little Rock got on the board in the second inning after Alexander reached on a passed ball following a strikeout and then Soto drove him home with a timely two-out base hit.
 
The Bluejays would tack on another run in the third to extend their lead, but the Trojans would respond when Coker doubled to left field to score Garrett Scott. Benavidez followed suit by singling home Coker to level the contest 3-3.
 
Two more runs were added on by Creighton in the fourth inning due to some defensive miscues from the hosts, but Little Rock would put up a three spot in the bottom half of the inning due to multiple errors from the visitors. Christian Reyes laid down a bunt that was thrown down the right field line by the third baseman, and the right fielder's throw back to the infield sailed all the way to the Creighton dugout and the runners would advance. Eldridge Figueroa and Soto would score on the play. Coker would eventually give the Trojans a 6-5 lead when his groundout brought Reyes home from third base.
 
The Bluejays would continue to fight back in the sixth when a solo shot tied the score once again. In the bottom half, Riley Pittman led off with a walk, Alexander singled and Coker picked up his third RBI on a sacrifice bunt to give the Trojans the lead yet again.
 
James Gann would step to the plate as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning and blasted a solo home run to left field to push the Trojan lead to two runs. Little Rock was not done, however, as the bottom of the order set the table and Reyes laid down another bunt, this time with two strikes, to advance the runners. Pittman launched a sacrifice fly to score Soto and Scott reached on an error to bring home Reyes. After seven innings, the Trojans would lead 10-6.
 
The Bluejays tacked on three runs in the eighth inning to draw within one heading into the ninth inning. In the top of the ninth, Creighton's Will Robertson launched a home run to tie the game and force extra innings.
 
The Trojans loaded the bases loaded with no outs in the bottom of the tenth inning, but were unable to capitalize on the opportunity after two fielder's choices and a strikeout looking.
 
Robertson continued his hot hitting with an RBI double and Jake Horton then hit a home run to push the visitor's lead to two runs heading into the eleventh inning. The Trojans would threaten in the final frame but ultimately came up short and suffered a very tough loss to end the weekend.
 
Little Rock will get back to action Tuesday, Feb. 19 in Stillwater, Okla. when they take on Oklahoma State at 4 p.m.

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