FT. SMITH, Ark. – Arkansas-Ft. Smith closed out a three-game series against Drury with a sweep of a doubleheader on Saturday at Crowder Field. The Lions won the first game 7-2, and edged out the Panthers in the second game 16-15.
The Lions (7-10) snapped a six game Drury winning streak, with Drury falling to 7-4.
In the opener,
Nic Perkins, a junior transfer from Ole Miss, got the Panthers on the board in the second with his second home run of the year. Arkansas-Ft. Smith tied it up in the second, then went on top in the third, scoring runs on a home run and a sacrifice fly.
An RBI sacrifice fly in the sixth extended the UAFS lead to 4-2. In the seventh,
KK Daniel singled to bring home Perkins for the Panthers final run. The Lions added a run in the 7th, then capped their scoring off with two runs on three hits and an error in the eighth.
Logan Allen went 3 for 4 for the Lions, who tallied 13 hits. Perkins was 2 for 4 with two runs and an RBI.
Riley Herron went 2 for 3 to help the Panthers record six hits.
Garrett Woods (1-2), a redshirt senior from Republic, suffered the loss, allowing four runs on eight hits in six innings of action.
Evan Dodd (3-1), a 6'3 left-hander, allowed five hits and two earned runs in seven innings to claim the win.
In the nightcap, both teams scored in the opening inning.
Ryan Colombo singled to plate
Caleb Essick, before the Lions countered on a sacrifice fly.
After a pair of scoreless innings,
Devan O'Bryan gave Drury the lead when he singled to score Perkins in the fourth. Ft. Smith pounced on the Panthers, scoring eight runs on four hits and two errors in the bottom half of the fourth.
In the fifth, Colombo blasted a three run shot, then Perkins hit his second homer of the day to cut the UAFS lead to 9-6. Fort Smith tacked on two runs in the bottom of the fifth.
The Panthers scored on a passed ball on the sixth, but the Lions added two runs in the seventh.
The back and forth scoring continued, with Drury tying it up in the eighth. The Panthers scored six runs on five hits and an error. RBI hits came from Colombo, with an RBI single, and Perkins, with an RBI triple that scored three.
The Lions struck again in the eighth, with an RBI single and a two run homer by Allen, who went 5 for 7 with two home runs on the day.
Drury almost made a ninth inning come back, scoring on an error and an RBI double by
Shane Benes, but falling just one run shy of tying it up.
Colombo led the Panther offensive unit, going 4 for 5 with five RBIs and three runs. Perkins, 3 for 4 chipped in four RBIs and scored three runs.
Ryan Kayhill was 3 for 4, and scored two runs.
Dylan Bradshaw, also had a nice day at the plate, going 3 for 5 and scoring three runs. Perkins scored five runs and drove home five RBIs, finishing the day 5 for 8.
Alex Stilwell (1-1) got the loss in 1.2 innings and Korbin Polly (1-1) earned the win with Nick Yoning getting the save.
Drury will return home on Tuesday and host Southwest Baptist in the Bank of Bolivar Spring Cat Fight. The Panthers and Bearcats will face off in a single nine-inning contest, with first pitch set for 4 p.m. at US Baseball Park.
