Tigers Use Late Runs To Claim Game 2 Over Southern

TSU bounced back with a pair of eighth-inning runs as they claimed a 9-7 win over Southern Saturday afternoon at MacGregor Park.
 
Southern opened the third with a run on a passed ball but TSU regrouped in the bottom frame as Michael Goudeau led the inning off by reaching base after being hit by a pitch. Jeremy Gaines’ RBI double to center tied it at 1-all as Goudeau scored from first. Two batters later, Johnathon Thomas moved TSU up 2-1 as his RBI double scored Gaines.
 
The Jaguars opened the fourth with a solo homer to knot the contest at 2-all before moving ahead 4-2 in the fifth on a two-RBI double which forced a pitching change. SU hit another RBI double two batters later to up its lead to 5-2.
 
Goudeau once again was hit by a pitch to lead the bottom of the fifth off. He moved to second after Justin Cooper’s sac bunt which set up Jeremy Gaines’ two-run homer to left for a 5-4 deficit. CJ Castillo’s single forced a pitching change but Thomas jumped on the reliever with a first pitch single. Gabe Vasquez’s RBI single tied it at 5-all followed by Jeremy Almaguer’s single to third for a 6-5 TSU lead.
 
Southern would tie it at 6-all in the seventh on a solo homer with out. The Jaguars would load the bases with one out but reliever George Osbourne forced a strikeout and an inning-ending flyout to escape the jam.   TSU first baseman Gabe Vasquez forced the crowd to its feet with a monster shot over the center field wall as TSU led 7-6 in the bottom of the seventh. TSU had an opportunity to tack on more runs but could capitalize despite loading the bases.
 
Southern once again failed to go away easily as they tied it at 7-all in the eighth which forced another TSU pitching change as Jaiden Beck entered for Osbourne. Beck forced a pop out on his first batter as TSU opted to intentionally walk Tremaine Spears to load the bases and create a force at any base. Despite the pressure mounting, Beck came out on top as he forced a pop fly to end the threat.
 
CJ Castillo was hit by a pitch to open the eighth and a Thomas single to second moved Castillo over. A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position which set up Vasquez’s sac for an 8-7 lead. Almaguer would also hit a sac as Thomas scored to move ahead 9-7.
 
Beck opened the ninth with a pop out but walked the second batter before closing out the game in style with a double play.
 
Gaines finished 3-for-5 with two runs and three RBI while Thomas went 3-for-5 with two runs and an RBI. Vasquez, Almaguer and Tyrese Clayborne all had multiple hits with Vasquez driving in three RBI followed by two from Almaguer.
 
Jaiden Beck earned his first win of the year as he came out the pen and pitched 1.2 innings of relief.
 
The rubber match is set for Sunday at 1 p.m. at MacGregor Park.