FORT SMITH - Senior right-hander Dawson Floyd tossed his team-leading sixth complete game and earned his team-leading ninth win as the No. 24-ranked UAFS Lions beat the St. Mary’s Rattlers 2-1 in the opening game of Friday’s Heartland Conference doubleheader at Crowder Field.
The Lion (29-12, 14-6) were denied the series win, however, losing the second game 10-8 to the Rattlers (27-15, 11-9) in 11 innings. UAFS, which split the four-game series, kept a one-game lead in the conference over second-place Lubbock Christian (28-14, 13-7), which swept Rogers State on Friday to force a split in the four-game series against the Hillcats.
Floyd (9-2) allowed one earned run on just four hits – all singles – walked only one and struck out seven over seven innings. Shortstop Nick Galaviz was 1 for 2 with one RBI to account for Rattlers’ only run.
UAFS collected six hits – four extra-base hits – against St. Mary’s starter Branson Hall, who suffered the complete-game loss. Hall (3-5) allowed two earned runs, walked only one and struck out five.
Designated hitter Anthony Seminaris was 1 for 2 with one RBI, center fielder Logan Allen was 1 for 3 with a double, third baseman Brandan Warner was 1 for 3 with a triple, right fielder Dion Williams was 1 for 3 with a double and first baseman Kyle Love was 1 for 2 with a double.
The Lions twice led in the second game but trailed 8-7 in the bottom of the ninth inning. Right fielder Troy Cahill led off the inning with a double to center field and scored the game-tying run when Seminaris’ hit to third was misplayed.
UAFS left the go-ahead runs at second and first, forcing extra innings. The Lions left nine runners on base for the game, including four in scoring position.
Lions reliever Javon Rigsby, who earned the complete-game win in Friday’s opening game, tossed 3 2/3 innings of relief. He retired two of the three batters he faced in the decisive eighth inning and retired the side in order in the ninth and 10th innings.
He gave up a double to Rattlers catcher Angel Vega to lead off the 11th to put the go-ahead run in scoring position and gave up a one-out single to third baseman Justin Sebo. A sacrifice fly by pinch hitter Jacob Arevalo drove in Vega to break the tie. Galaviz followed with a single to put runners at first and second, and a single through the right side by center fielder James Davison drove in Sebo to give the Rattlers a two-run lead.
Rigsby got out of the inning by getting left fielder Oscar Betancourt to fly out to right field.
Cahill led off the inning with a single down the left field line and was replaced by pinch runner Tremarcus Koontz. Koontz was retired when Williams grounded into a fielder’s choice. Williams was then retired when Love grounded into a game-ending, double play.
Rigsby (5-3) suffered the hard-luck loss in a gutsy relief performance, allowing two runs on four hits with one walk and two strikeouts over 3 2/3 innings. He was the last of six UAFS pitchers.
St. Mary’s collected 12 hits, including two for extra bases. Betancourt was 2 for 5 with four RBIs, Galaviz was 2 for 6 with two RBIs, Davison was 3 for 6 with a double and one RBI, Vega was 1 for 6 with a double and second baseman Mario Vela was 2 for 4 with one RBI.
Rattlers reliever Matt Merrill (1-0), who was the last of four St. Mary’s pitchers, earned the win, allowing one hit over two innings of scoreless relief.
UAFS had 14 total hits, including four for extra bases. Allen was 2 for 6, Love was 2 for 5 with a solo home run, catcher Jordany Santiago was 2 for 4, shortstop Drew Duncan was 2 for 5 with double and two RBIs, second baseman Edward Ibarra was 1 for 4 with one RBI, Cahill was 1 for 5 with a double and Seminaris was 1 for 4 with a double.
GAME ONE
NO. 24 UAFS 2, ST. MARY’S 1
St. Mary’s 000 010 0 — 1 4 0
UAFS 010 001 X — 2 6 1
Hall and Vega; Floyd and Hurt. W – Floyd, 9-2. L – Hall, 3-5. HRs – None.
GAME TWO
ST. MARY’S 10, NO. 24 UAFS 8 (11)
St. Mary’s 020 002 040 02 — 10 12 6
UAFS 020 104 001 00 — 8 14 4
Rodriguez, Hybner (6), Fernandez (8), Merrill (10) and Vega; Burch, Polly (4), Heil (6), Stallings (8), Lawrence (8), Rigsby (8) and Santiago, Hurt. W – Merrill, 1-0. L – Rigsby, 5-3. HRs – UAFS, Love (2).