NEW ORLEANS, La. | Kristian Franklin doubled to bring home Phil Adams, Jr. in the bottom of the eighth inning, tying the game at 4, but Arkansas-Pine Bluff got a run in the top of the ninth and picked up a 5-4 victory on the second day of the Andre Dawson Classic at Maestri Stadium.
Grambling State (0-2) fell behind, 1-0, in the top of the first, but rallied with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame to grab a 2-1 advantage.
With one down in the first,
D'Quan Matthews was hit by a pitch with one out and stole second.
Richard Ortiz homered to left to give the Tigers a 2-1 lead.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1-1) tied the game in the third, but Grambling State picked up a run in the bottom of the fourth to take a 3-2 lead.
The Golden Lions took a 4-3 lead with a pair of runs on two hits in the sixth, but the Tigers answered with a run in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game at 4.
However, in the ninth with two outs, Owen Young singled to left center and came all the way in to score the go-ahead run on a double by Jarficur Parker.
Grambling State went down in order in the bottom of the frame as the Tigers dropped their second consecutive game.
Inside the Numbers
· Grambling State finished seven hits
·
Marshawn Taylor went 1-for-4 with a walk
·
D'Quan Matthews went 0-for-3, but scored a run.
·
Richard Ortiz registered two hits, including a two-run home run.
·
Kristian Franklin, Rafael Ramirez III,
Ace Felder and
Nick Wheeler each recorded one hit.
· A day after registering 13 walks, the Tigers walked four times against UAPB.
· Owen Young paced the Arkansas-Pine Bluff offense by going 2-for-4 with a run scored.
· Jacob Columbo, Sergio Esparza, Nick Kreutzer and Jarficur Parker each registered one hit.
·
Anthony Hernandez got a no-decision as he worked 6.0 innings and gave up four runs (three earned) on four hits, with three walks and three strikeouts.
· Kerry Boykins (0-1) took the loss as he was tagged for one run on two hits with one strikeout in 3.0 innings of relief.
· Tyrus Lopez started on the hill for the Golden Lions and surrendered three runs on six hits, with seven strikeouts and three walks in 0.2 innings of work.
· Cody Widman pitched 0.2 innings in relief and gave up one run and one walk.
· Austin Softley (1-0) picked up the victory and gave up just one hit and fanned four in 1.2 innings of work.
News & Notes
· The last time Grambling State lost two consecutive games was at the end of the 2017 season (Alcorn State and Prairie View A&M).
· Grambling State went 3-3 last season against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
Up Next
Grambling State concludes its three-game season-opening road trip on Sunday against Alcorn State. First-Pitch is set for 3 p.m. at Wesley Barrow Stadium.
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