HOUSTON – Grambling State evened its three-game series at Texas Southern with a 6-5 win Saturday over the hometown Tigers.
Trailing 5-3 going into the top of the seventh, Grambling pushed three runs across in its half of the inning as six out of the seven GSU players who completed plate appearances in the frame reached base. Travarus Bell, the one batter who didn't reach base, provided the game-winning RBI on a sacrifice fly.
The visiting Tigers (8-15) improved to 4-4 in Southwestern Athletic Conference divisional play. TSU's Tigers (7-15) saw their SWAC record fall to 7-3, but are still in first place in the West Division by a half-game over Arkansas–Pine Bluff.
TSU never trailed in the game until Grambling State took the lead for good in the seventh inning. The hometown Tigers opened the scoring with back-to-back RBIs in the second inning Gerrek Jimenez and Horace LeBlanc. Jimenez knocked a triple that scored Christian Sanchez, then came home on LeBlanc's groundout.
After GSU tied the game in the bottom of the top of the sixth, it Jimenez and LeBlanc providing the offensive spark again. With two outs and the bases empty, Jimenez singled and then stole second. LeBlanc then tripled to regain the lead for TSU. Texas Southern capped the scoring when Charles Guillory knocked a single to score LeBlanc.
TSU's starting pitcher Darius Boykins pitched four and two-thirds scoreless innings, scattering three hits and striking out four batters. Grambling's Isaac O'Bear pitched eight innings and earned the victory. Raul Baduel claimed the save after stranding TSU's lone ninth-inning baserunner on second.
The teams conclude their series Sunday at 1 p.m. at MacGregor Park.
Courtesy: TSU Athletics
Trailing 5-3 going into the top of the seventh, Grambling pushed three runs across in its half of the inning as six out of the seven GSU players who completed plate appearances in the frame reached base. Travarus Bell, the one batter who didn't reach base, provided the game-winning RBI on a sacrifice fly.
The visiting Tigers (8-15) improved to 4-4 in Southwestern Athletic Conference divisional play. TSU's Tigers (7-15) saw their SWAC record fall to 7-3, but are still in first place in the West Division by a half-game over Arkansas–Pine Bluff.
TSU never trailed in the game until Grambling State took the lead for good in the seventh inning. The hometown Tigers opened the scoring with back-to-back RBIs in the second inning Gerrek Jimenez and Horace LeBlanc. Jimenez knocked a triple that scored Christian Sanchez, then came home on LeBlanc's groundout.
After GSU tied the game in the bottom of the top of the sixth, it Jimenez and LeBlanc providing the offensive spark again. With two outs and the bases empty, Jimenez singled and then stole second. LeBlanc then tripled to regain the lead for TSU. Texas Southern capped the scoring when Charles Guillory knocked a single to score LeBlanc.
TSU's starting pitcher Darius Boykins pitched four and two-thirds scoreless innings, scattering three hits and striking out four batters. Grambling's Isaac O'Bear pitched eight innings and earned the victory. Raul Baduel claimed the save after stranding TSU's lone ninth-inning baserunner on second.
The teams conclude their series Sunday at 1 p.m. at MacGregor Park.
Courtesy: TSU Athletics