In the first Region 2 series of 2024, SAU Tech won two of three games against South Arkansas College.
On Saturday, history nearly repeated itself.
Jacob Key, a freshman who tossed a four-hitter in an 8-2 win over SouthArk on March 2, was six outs away from another win with the Rockets holding a 3-1 lead.
But the Stars erupted for five runs in the bottom of the sixth, and Will Turner worked a scoreless seventh to finish off a come-from-behind 6-3 win that clinched a series win for SouthArk.
In the sixth, SouthArk loaded the bases with one out on doubles by Yadi Canales and Chase Irby along with a walk to Ty Simonelli. Gabe Kuttenkuler delivered an RBI single to pull SouthArk within a run. One out later, Jacob Ambriz singled home two runs to give the Stars a 4-3 lead.
After Justin Szymanski walked, Tanner Powell’s third double of the game scored two runs to give the Stars a 6-3 lead.
Kuttenkuler had two singles in the win for SouthArk (23-16, 10-7).
Ryan Ursery went the first five innings, allowing four hits and three runs with two being earned. He walked three and struck out five.
Turner went two scoreless innings to pick up the win. He allowed two hits, didn’t issue any walks and struck out three.
Former El Dorado standout Ashton Yarbrough hit his second home run of the season against SouthArk for the Rockets (11-20, 7-11).
“It was an interesting day,” SouthArk coach Cannon Lester said. “The first game, we faced a pretty good starter whose had a really good year so far. I thought we had some pretty good swings against him early.
“We had a chance there in the second. The field was playing pretty small, and they got a couple of cheap ones against Ryan. He ended up throwing the ball really well. He stayed tough when it very easily could’ve gone bad. He made some big pitches when he needed to. He really managed it. We finally got a big hit in the sixth and Will closed it out. We were like, ‘Yeah, that was the break we needed.’”
The Stars entered Game 3 with plenty of momentum and an opportunity to sweep the series, but the importance of the Stars’ sixth-inning uprising quickly became apparent as the Rockets jumped out to an 11-2 lead en route to a 14-4 win that gave SAU Tech an even split of the six games.
Jake Dupre connected for his second home run of the day with Cooper McDaniel and Cale Edmonds also hitting home runs. Edmonds finished with five RBIs for the Rockets.
SouthArk pitchers allowed 12 hits with Colin Reed taking the loss after lasting only 1 1/3 innings.
Paris Watson and Sawyer Pritchard combined on a six-hitter for the Rockets.
Redshirt freshman Alton Gatson drilled his first home run of the season for the Stars.
“We came out and look up and we gave up six in the first, but we came back and scored two in the first, and I was like, ‘OK, we’ll be good.’” Lester said. “Then we gave up a four spot, and you’re like, ‘Man, this is going to be a tough, uphill battle.’
“It’s what we’ve been battling all year. We didn’t make a couple of plays, gave them a few freebies, they got a big swing off. It really multiplied quickly. It was frustrating because it was right there for us to sweep and to finish those guys off. We ended up splitting the series over the year. If it comes to the end of the year and we end up tied, we’re sitting at 3-3 where we very easily could’ve been 4-2. We just didn’t finish the series, so that was frustrating.”
After splitting the six games with SAU Tech, the Stars will face National Park this weekend.
The opener is slated to be held in El Dorado on Thursday before the series shifts to National Park for a doubleheader on Saturday.