Pine Bluff, AR - UAPB Golden Lions baseball opened the 2026 season with a split on Opening Day against Lindenwood at the Torii Hunter Baseball Complex, dropping game one before bouncing back in a big way to take game two behind timely hitting and strong pitching.
The opener was a grind for the Golden Lions, as UAPB fought to find consistent rhythm offensively and had to work through extended defensive innings. Even in a tough one, the Golden Lions had bright spots at the plate, led by Zach Wieder, who recorded a 2-for-3 game to pace UAPB in hits. Dane Small added a hit of his own while Blake Coleman delivered UAPB's biggest swing of game one with a double and scored the Golden Lions' lone run. UAPB finished with four hits in the opener and continued to battle through every inning, but couldn't fully cash in on the chances they created.
On the mound in game one, the Golden Lions showed real strikeout power. Jalen Porter started the season with a strong swing-and-miss outing, going 4.0 innings with 7 strikeouts, allowing 2 runs while competing aggressively in the zone. The bullpen continued to punch out hitters as well, with Jack Hasten logging 3.2 innings and adding 3 strikeouts, and Spencer Watson closing his inning of work with 2 strikeouts in 1.0 inning. UAPB's staff finished game one with 12 strikeouts, showing early-season stuff that can win games as the weekend progresses.
The bounce-back in game two was immediate and loud — the Golden Lions flipped the script with an 8–6 win, fueled by an offense that stayed connected from top to bottom and produced 12 hits. Joe Adams was the engine, putting together a monster performance at the plate by going 4-for-5 with 2 RBIs, a triple, and constant pressure all game long. Blake Coleman followed up his game one extra-base hit by delivering the biggest swing of the day in game two — a home run— finishing with 2 RBIs, 2 runs scored, and setting the tone for UAPB's explosive scoring stretches. Lazaro Alvarado also produced a strong offensive day, going 2-for-5 with a run scored, while Zyon Hamilton added timely production with an RBI, a walk, and a run scored. UAPB also got key contributions throughout the order — Trinidad de la Garza chipped in a hit and scored a run, and Matt Dworsky went 1-for-2 to help keep innings alive.
Pitching-wise, game two featured another strong one-two punch for the Golden Lions. Joe King started and battled through 4.0 innings, striking out 6, and Reagan James slammed the door with a dominant relief performance: 5.0 innings, 8 strikeouts, and only 1 earned run allowed. That ability to miss bats — paired with UAPB's offensive response — was the difference in the nightcap, as the Golden Lions matched every moment with poise and execution, then pulled away with the big hits when it mattered.
With the split, UAPB closes Opening Day at 1-1, showing both the fight to compete through a tough opener and the ability to respond with a complete performance — powered by Adams' four-hit game, Coleman's homer, and a pitching staff that combined for 14 strikeouts in game two.
