TYLER, TEXAS – A costly fourth inning for #17 UT Tyler proved to be the difference in a 5-4 loss in midweek action against Southern Arkansas.
That fourth inning saw the Patriots commit three errors in the frame alone to allow four unearned runs to come across the board in what would prove to be an otherwise balanced outing for the Patriots (10-6, 10-5 LSC). UT Tyler made it a game with a three-run bottom of the fifth to narrow the deficit to just 5-4, but couldn't muster anymore offense as both club's bullpens provided solid efforts to close out the contest.
Riley Jepson and
Kyle McShaffry both had two hits on the afternoon while Jepson finished with two RBI for his fifth runs batted in in his last three outings.
Jepson cashed in
Carson Cox to answer a Mulerider run in the top of half of the inning in the third to even the contest up at 1-1. The costly fourth inning got started with two runs crossing on a play in which the Patriots committed a pair of errors to allow the Muleriders to jump ahead 4-1.
Southern Arkansas doubled the runs scored in the inning a few batters later to open up a 5-1 lead. Jepson got a two-out rally started in the bottom of the fifth for UT Tyler with his second single of the game that scored
Hayden Clearman, and then scored for the third and final run of the inning on a wild pitch.
Jordan Gochenour hit an RBI single prior to that wild pitch that scored Jepson, scoring
Edward Ortiz.
Just two of the nine runs that were plated between the two clubs combined were earned on an afternoon in which both squads allowed a multitude of free bases with defensive mistakes.
Nolan Cox got the start for UT Tyler and went 3.1 innings while allowing just one earned run to end up being credited with the loss.
A Patriot bullpen that utilized five arms in relief of Cox didn't concede a single earned run to the Muleriders and struck out five in their 5.2 innings of work.
UT Tyler will wrap up a ten game homestand this weekend with a three-game set against Cameron. The Lone Star Conference series is set for a single game on Friday at 6 p.m. and a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.
