GRAMBLING, La. | The Grambling State University baseball team led by four runs in the latter innings, but let the lead slip away before winning the game in walk-off fashion with a 9-8 victory to take the three-game Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) series over Texas Southern on Sunday afternoon at Wilbert Ellis Field at R.W.E. Jones Park.
Unlike in the first two games of the series, Texas Southern (10-18 overall, 7-4 SWAC) struck with a pair of runs on four hits in the first inning to grab an early 2-0 lead. However, Grambling State answered in the bottom of the frame as
Richard Ortiz scored on a Rafael Ramirez double and Isiah Torres plated Ramirez with a single to right.
Texas Southern took a 3-2 advantage with one run in the second only to see Grambling State tie the game again with one run on four hits in the bottom of the inning.
TSU grabbed a 4-3 lead with one run in the third, but in the fourth, Torres plated
Marshawn Taylor on a sacrifice fly to center to tie the game at 4.
Grambling State (15-14, 8-4) grabbed a 5-4 advantage in the fifth as Ortiz reached on an error as
Kristian Franklin, who singled with one out, came in to score.
GSU added to the lead in the seventh when
Ace Felder drew a walk and advanced to second on a base hit by Taylor. Ortiz followed with a single to left to score Felder. After a pitching change, Ramirez doubled to left center as Taylor scored and Ortiz stopped at third. Torres brought Ortiz in on a ground out as Grambling State extended the advantage to 8-4.
Texas Southern cut the deficit to 8-6 with two runs in the top of the eighth and loaded the bases in the ninth with no outs. TSU continued to rally and plated two more runs in the ninth to tie the game at 8.
Grambling State rallied in the ninth with two outs when Torres and
Garrett Smith drew back-to-back walks. After a pitching change,
D'Quan Matthews was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Trevin Bolden worked the count to 3-2 when his slow roller hit off Texas Southern third baseman Jose Camacho, which allowed
Phil Adams Jr., who pinch ran for Torres, to score the game-winning run.
Inside The Numbers
* Grambling State registered nine runs on 14 hits, with one error and left 18 on base.
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Marshawn Taylor went 4-for-6, with two runs scored and one RBI.
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Richard Ortiz and Rafael Ramirez each recorded two hits.
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Ace Felder,
Isaiah Torres,
Garrett Smith,
D'Quan Matthews,
Trevin Bolden and
Kristian Franklin had one hit apiece.
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Anthony Hernandez started on the hill for Grambling State and pitched five innings. He gave up four runs on nine hits, with two walks and one strikeout.
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Daniel Beizer (3-1) picked up the win as he surrendered four runs (three earned) on eight hits, with four strikeouts and two walks.
* Texas Southern finished with eight runs on 17 hits, with two errors and stranded 14 on base.
* Christian Sanchez paced Texas Southern by going 3-for-5, with two RBIs and one run scored.
* Michael Villanueva didn't figure into the decision as he was tagged for four runs on eight hits, walked five and fanned two.
* Chris Suarez, Peyton Schneider, Robert Loza (0-1), Seth Oliver pitched in relief.
Up Next
Grambling State returns to action on Tuesday when Louisiana Tech makes the short trip from Ruston, La., to take on the Tigers at Wilbert Ellis Field at R.W.E. Jones Park. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
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