Tigers Drop Series Opener

BATON ROUGE, La. –  A pair of three-run innings haunted TSU baseball as they fell 7-5 in the opener of a three-game series at Southern on Friday.

TSU led 1-0 in the first as Justin Cooper, who reached on a single, scored on Oscar Ponce’s sac fly. The lead grew to 2-0 after the top of the third with another sac fly which scored Cooper again courtesy of Dean Salazar.

The lead quickly evaporated in the bottom of the third with two outs as SU had two baserunners on via a single and error which came back to haunt TSU as SU recorded a two-RBI double and single to lead 3-2. Southern added to its lead once again with two outs in the fifth with another RBI double and tacked on three more in the sixth to lead 7-2. Ponce would drive in two more runs in the seventh to narrow TSU’s deficit to 7-4.

In the top ninth, Jordan Vidato led off with a single followed by Cooper’s single. Tyrese Clayborne would load the bases after a bunt single and Ponce once again drove in a run to trail 7-5. However, TSU couldn’t capitalize on the scoring opportunities and the game came to an end after consecutive flyouts.

Ponce and Cooper both had three hits with Ponce driving in four RBI. Joseph Martinez fell to 0-2 on the mound in three innings of action as he started the game.

Game two starts at 2 p.m. tomorrow.