WICHITA, Kan. – The Newman baseball team started its three-game Heartland Conference series against Arkansas-Fort Smith by splitting today's doubleheader, the Jets fell short in Game 1, losing 5-4 but won decisively in Game 2, outscoring the Lions 12-6.
The Jets (23-15, 9-8 Heartland) saw Lucas Schauer take the mound in Game 1 of the afternoon. No runs were scored in the first-two innings of Game 1 but the Lions (19-16, 8-9 Heartland) had some early chances. UAFS would eventually pounce first in the top of the third, scoring three runs, to take a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the third.
Newman would answer back in the bottom of the third to take its only lead of Game 1, scoring all four of its runs in this half inning. An RBI groundout from Lucas Norton would drive in the first run and the next at-bat a sacrifice fly from Tyler Bugner would get in the second run. The final two runs came from a single to right field from Nick Griffin, to make the score 4-3 NU after three complete innings.
The Lions would retake the lead though in the top of the fourth, off of a two-run home run to make the score 5-4 UAFS.
Newman could only manage to get two hits after the bottom of the third inning. That would limit the Jets opportunities to score runs and eventually lead to a 5-4 victory for UAFS in Game 1.
The Jets would come back out for Game 2, to see Dylan Porter earn the nod on the mound. Similar to Game 1, things would stay quiet throughout the first-two innings but once again the Lions would strike first and put up three runs in the top of the third inning.
Newman would answer in the bottom of the third inning just like in Game 1, but this time to only tie it up 3-3. Andrew Russell scored the first run for NU in Game 2 on a wild pitch. Bugner would get the second run across on a single to the shortstop and Aaron Mack would sacrifice fly to center field to get the third run in for the Jets in the bottom of the third.
The Lions would get one run in the top of the fourth, to retake the lead for their last time and make it 4-3. The Jets would get some help in their half inning of the fourth though, off of a fielding error that got two NU runners across the plate to put them up 5-4, after four complete innings.
Skyler Barnes came on in relief for Porter to close out the top of the fifth inning and also shut down UAFS in the sixth inning. Newman would go on a tear to extend its lead in the bottom of the sixth, scoring six runs.
A sacrifice fly from Jacob Hamerle would get the first run across for NU in the sixth. Mack would get a run across the plate from his double to right field. Brian Canfield would get two runs in, off of his single to center and Russell would get in the last two runs of the sixth inning, off of a single to right field. The Jets would take a 11-4 lead into the seventh inning.
Newman would get its last run of the game in the bottom of the seventh, when Garett Thomas hit an RBI single through the right side to score Norton from second base and make it 12-4, after seven complete innings.
The Lions would score two runs in the top of the eighth to make the final score 12-6 in favor of the Jets. Barnes earned the win for Newman in Game 2 and improved his record to 3-2 on the season.
Russell finished the day 3-for-6 with four runs scored and two RBIs, while Mack went 3-for-6 with two runs scored and two RBIs.
Newman will finish its series against UAFS with a single game Friday afternoon at 1 p.m. at McCarthy Field. Live stats and video will be available at newmanjets.com.
