Tigers Fall 5-0 In Game 3 At UAPB

PINE BLUFF, Ark. – One bad inning early in a baseball can be all it takes to set the tone for the rest of the game and that is just what happened as Texas Southern University baseball team missed out on a chance for a three-game sweep with Arkansas-Pine Bluff taking a 5-0 decision at the Torii Hunter Complex on Sunday afternoon.

The inning in question would be the second as the Tigers (16-7, 2-1 Southwestern Athletic Conference) had a chance to get on the scoreboard first as Alexander Olivo led off the inning with a hit by pitch and Jeffry Mercado doubled to right to set up runners on second and third with no outs situation.

Unfortunately for TSU, back-to-back strikeouts and a groundout to first ended the threat.

UAPB (8-11, 1-2 SWAC) did all of its damage in the second inning after the first two batters collected a ground out and fly out, respectively, before three consecutive walks loaded the bases.

A hit by pitch would then drive in what would prove to be the game-winning run in the second inning before the Golden Tigers tacked on three more runs combined in the frame on a walk and a single to center.

TSU’s bats would go silent the rest of the way especially in critical times when having runners in scoring position in the third, fourth, fifth and eighth innings and going a combined 0-for-5 at the plate in those situations.

UAPB tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh for the final 5-0 margin for its first win in the all-time series against TSU since March 26 pf last season to break a six-game winning streak by the Tigers.

TSU now owns a 30-25 career record over UAPB dating back to Mach 29, 2014.

CJ Castillo turned in the best performance at the plate for TSU going 2-for-4 with a walk and nobody left on while the rest of the team stranded 12 base runners.

UP NEXT

A nearly 90-mile trip is in store for TSU on Tuesday as the Tigers head to Beaumont for a single-game battle against Lamar University. The Cardinals are 13-6 on the season and own a 7-4 victory over Texas A&M University on Feb. 21 when the Aggies were ranked fifth in the country at the time.

First pitch between TSU and LU is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT and will be the aired live on ESPN+.