BATON ROUGE, La. | Christian Marquez pitched 6.2 solid innings and Rafael Ramirez, III crushed his team-high 12th homer as the Grambling State University baseball team split with rival Southern, winning the opener 11-6, but falling in the second game, 1-0, in a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Lee-Hines Field.
 
In the opener, Grambling State (21-19 overall, 13-8 SWAC) struck first in the second inning on a solo home run by Drexler Macaay to give the Tigers an early 1-0 lead.
 
The Tigers extended the advantage to 2-0 with one run in the fourth, but Southern (8-26, 8-13) answered with two in the bottom of the frame to tie the game at 2.
 
Grambling State plated nine runs over the fifth and sixth innings to grab an 11-2 advantage.
 
Ace Felder led off the fifth with a double to left center and advance to third on a Marshawn Taylor groundout. Richard Ortiz followed with a walk and Ramirez made the Jaguars pay with a double down the left field line to plate Felder and Ortiz. After a Macaay walk, Garrett Smith doubled to plate Ramirez and Macaay. Trevin Bolden followed with an infield hit as Smith scored to give the Tigers a 7-2 lead.
 
GSU put the game out of reach in the sixth with four runs, capped by three-run homer by Ramirez, to extend the lead to 11-2.
 
Southern tried to rally in the latter innings with two runs in the seventh and two more in the ninth.
 
In the nightcap, Southern picked up its lone run in the fifth inning to pick up the 1-0 win.
 
Inside the Numbers
* Grambling State finished with 11 runs on 17 hits, committed one error and stranded nine base runners.
* Drexler Macaay, Garrett Smith (three RBIs) and Trevin Bolden each recorded three hits.
* Ace Felder, Marshawn Taylor, Rafael Ramirez (five RBIs) and Isaiah Torres registered two hits apiece.
* Christian Marquez (4-1) pitched 6.2 innings to pick up the victory. He gave up four runs (three earned) on eight hits, walked three and fanned three.
* Kerry Boykins, Jr. and Daniel Wilson worked 2.1 innings in relief.
* Southern scored six runs on nine hits, with two errors and left 11 on base.
* John Pope and Malik Blaise each had two hits to pace the Jaguar offense.
* John Guienze (0-4) took the loss. He surrendered six runs on 10 hits, walked two and struck out one in 4.2 innings.
* Wilhelm Allen and Brandon Sykes pitched the final 4.1 innings in relief.
* In the second game, Grambling State had nine hits, stranded 13 on base and committed one error.
* Richard Ortiz led the way going 3-for-5, while Rafael Ramirez went 2-for-4.
* Ace Felder, Marshawn Taylor, Isaiah Torres and Kristian Franklin each recorded one hit.
* Andy Escano (1-3) took the loss in seven innings of work. He gave up one unearned run on just two hits, with five strikeouts and a pair of walks.
* Daniel Beizer pitched one inning in relief.
* The Jaguars registered one run on just four hits and left five on base.
* Jacob Snyder (2-3) picked up the win in five innings as he scattered five hits, walked six and fanned one.
* Tyler Robinson worked the final four innings in relief.
 
Up Next
Grambling State returns to action on Tuesday with a trip to Lorman, Miss. to face Alcorn State in a non-conference game. First pitch set for 6 p.m.
 
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