Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Arkansas (NCAA Regionals)
Tigers Drop Heartbreaker to No. 17 Arkansas 6-2
June 03, 2006 | Baseball
June 3, 2006
Box Score | Quotes
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - For seven innings, the 5,791 fans at Arkansas' Baum Stadium were held silent as sophomore starter Christian Staehely carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning of Princeton's game against the Razorbacks. Two leadoffs walks and a fielder's choice loaded the bases in the eighth inning before Arkansas' first hit of the game cleared the bases and gave it a 3-2 lead in an eventual 6-2 win.
The loss eliminated Princeton from the 2006 NCAA Baseball Tournament as the Tigers dropped games to No. 21 Oklahoma State and No. 17 Arkansas despite outhitting both opponents.
Princeton had seven hits before Arkansas had one and after stranding base runners early in the game, jumped ahead when sophomore Spencer Lucian hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning. Senior Stephen Wendell led off the inning with a single to right field and, after advancing to second on a passed ball, scored when Lucian hit his fifth homer of the season into the left field bullpen.
At that point, things looked good for the Tigers, as the team led 2-0 and had not surrendered a hit through seven innings. Staehely used two great plays in the field to keep the no-hitter alive in the sixth inning as junior Sal Iacono made a diving play to his left for a groundout and Lucian tracked down a line drive at the wall. Arkansas worked two walks to begin its next at bat and a sac bunt loaded the bases when Staehely's throw to third could not get the runner out. With the bases loaded, Staehely worked to James Ewing who hit a double to right center to clear the bases and give Arkansas its first lead. Ewing came around to also score in the inning, as did another run, charged to freshman reliever Brad Gemberling.
Arkansas added an unearned run in the ninth inning before retiring the Tigers in order in the bottom of the ninth for the win.
Princeton ends the season at 19-26-1 with the loss, while Arkansas is now 39-20. Staehely took the loss and finishes the year with a 5-2 record and a 2.79 ERA. He allowed a hit in seven innings and struck out three. Brian McLelland pitched three no-hit innings of relief to improve to 4-1 with the win.
NOTES
Andrew Salini's first-inning single was the 203rd of his college career and sets a program record for career hits ... Dan Degeorge's third-inning single extended his season-long hit streak to 13 games ... Christian Staehely had his second-straight one-hit outing, he allowed a hit in five innings against Lehigh ... Princeton outhit both team's it faced this weekend.