FORT SMITH, Ark. (April 28, 2017) - University of Arkansas Fort Smith's Dion Williams hit a bases loaded single in the bottom of the ninth inning for a 4-3 walk-off win to claim the rubber match of a Heartland Conference series over No.6 Lubbock Christian University Friday afternoon at Crowder Field.
 
The Chaps led 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning, but UAFS rallied with doubles from Anthony Seminaris and Brennan Dooly off Chaps starting pitcher Russell Reber to tie the game at 3-3. Dooly's two-out double was his first hit of the series and it ended a 7.2-inning performance by Reber.
 
LCU had a chance to regain the lead in the top of the ninth inning. Chase Simmons led off with a double and Brent Stewart reached two batters later on the Lions fourth error of the game, but Josh Narvaiz grounded out and Brandon Urquizo struck out looking and the Chaps left two runners stranded in scoring position.
 
Brandon Warner led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a single to centerfield and Logan Allen ended up with an infield bunt single while attempting a sacrifice bunt. Brent Bezio walked Drew Duncan on four straight pitches, resulting in Nick Hooper coming out of the bullpen to face Williams. On Hooper's first pitch, Williams sent a fly ball to left centerfield resulting in LCU's second loss of the season when leading after seven innings (18-2).
 
UAFS's Tyler Nelson silenced LCU's offense most of the game. Seminaris had a two-out RBI-single in each of his first two at-bats to provide the Lions a 2-0 lead as Nelson held the Chaps without a hit for 4.2 innings.  LCU's first hit was produced by Narvaiz with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning and it got LCU on the scoreboard. Narvaiz hit a double down the left field line to score Simmons, who had reached on a lead-off error. LCU took the lead in the sixth inning with Tony Reyes hitting a single to centerfield to score Jaime Bustamante from second base. An error during Ryan Rogers' at-bat put runners on the corners and Simmons hit a sacrifice fly to score Reyes for a 3-2 advantage.
 
The win went to Nick Yoning in relief (2-0). He pitched a scoreless ninth inning. Nelson went eight innings and allowed three runs (one earned) off three hits in the non decision. Reber went 7.2 innings and allowed three runs off eight hits. He had first-pitch-strike on 11 of the first 14 batters he faced and notched a season high six strikeouts. Bezio fell to 4-3 with the loss, allowing one run off two hits in 0.1 innings of relief.
 
Seminaris went 3-for-3 at the plate with a pair of runs-batted-in. Williams also finished with three hits (3-for-5).
 
LCU is no longer in sole possession of first place in the Heartland Conference. UAFS moved within a game of LCU and St. Mary's swept Newman in a Friday doubleheader to join LCU atop the standings. The Chaps and StMU are 16-5 in the standings (LCU is 33-12 overall). UAFS is 28-17 overall and 15-6 in the Heartland Conference. The trio of teams each have three regular season games remaining. LCU, who completes the regular season with a 14-8 road record, returns home to host Rogers State for a Heartland Conference series beginning Friday, while StMU and UAFS will gather in San Antonio, Texas for a three-game conference series.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
.193 | LCU hit well under their series average, hitting .193 as a team in the three-game series.
1-6 | LCU falls to 1-6 all-time in games played in Arkansas (against all-opponents).
3-for-4 | With Dion Williams' bases-loaded game winning hit, the Lions completed the series 3-for-4 with the bases loaded. LCU did not have a bases-loaded at-bat in the series.
5 | Jaime Bustamante led LCU in the series with five hits and was 5-for-12 (.417) at the plate against the Lions.
5 | LCU had five sacrifices in the series with two sacrifice flies and three sacrifice bunts.
5 | The two teams had combined for four two-out hits and one two-out RBI in the series' first two games, but Friday, the two teams combined for five two-out base hits and four two-out RBI. Friday, UAFS went 4-for-11 (.363) in two-out at-bats after going 1-for-14 Thursday.
8 | The Chaps defense has gone eight consecutive games without turning a double play.