Lions claim pitcher's duel

FORT SMITH, Ark. — Right-hander Brayden Johnson threw a complete game four-hitter, outpitching Eastern New Mexico University’s Ethan Coombes, and Arkansas-Fort Smith held on for a 2-1 Lone Star Conference win over the Greyhounds on Saturday in the first of two seven-inning games.

Three of the hits came in the top of the seventh, ENMU (2-14, 2-14 LSC) broke through on a two-out RBI single by left fielder Camden Matthews, but Johnson got designated hitter Tristan Bowden on a grounder to second to leave the go-ahead runs stranded.

Coombes, a sophomore right-hander who threw a seven-inning complete game last weekend in a 2-1 win over Tarleton State at Greyhound Field, was effective again in this one. He also allowed just four hits, with four walks and five strikeouts.

ENMU’s only other hit off Johnson was a leadoff single in the third inning by second baseman Trevor Moses.

Fort Smith (11-5, 11-5) scored in the bottom of the first on a RBI single by DH Logan Easley, but did little after that. Easley went 2-for-3 in the game, the only player on either side with more than one hit.

Ark.-Fort Smith 13, ENMU 7 (Friday) — The Lions tallied six times in the first — the last three coming home on a two-out outfield error — and pounded out 15 hits in winning the series opener.

The Hounds rallied with three in the second and one in the third to pull to 6-4, but that was as close as they got.

Lions starter Drew Young was able to labor through six-plus innings, giving up six earned runs on 12 hits. He walked no one and struck out six.

ENMU pitchers, meantime, issued nine walks in the contest. Junior right-hander Joel Torres (0-3) was chased in the second inning and took the loss.

Leadoff man Morgan Crenshaw went 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs for the Lions, while five others had two hits. Malcolm Smith, Moses, right fielder Jude Perea and first baseman Tristan Bowden all had two of the Hounds’ 13 hits.