GRAMBLING, La. | The Grambling State University baseball team dropped the opening game of the doubleheader on Saturday to Texas Southern, 7-3, but bounced back with a 6-2 victory in the nightcap to take the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) series at Wilbert Ellis Field at R.W.E. Jones Park.
 
Grambling State (5-7 overall, 2-1 SWAC) took the series as GSU won Friday's single game, 12-2.
 
How It Happened – Game 1
Texas Southern (2-9, 1-2) plated two runs in the fifth, but Grambling State cut the margin in half with a run in the sixth.
 
TSU added a run in the top of the seventh to grab a 3-1 lead. However, GSU tied the game on a two-run homer by CJ Mervilus in the bottom of the frame.
 
Texas Southern exploded for four runs on five hits and took advantage of a GSU error to break the 3-3 all tie in the ninth and grab a 7-3 lead.
 
Inside the Numbers
> Grambling State finished with three runs on six hits, committed three errors and left six on base
> Ian Bailey went 3-for-4, including a pair of doubles, to lead the Grambling State offense
> Isaiah Torres, Richard Ortiz and CJ Mervilus (two-run homer) each recorded one hit
> Jason Alvarez started on the mound for the Tigers and went 6.2 innings. He surrendered three runs (one earned) on four hits, with six strikeouts and three walks
> D'Quan Matthews, Ryan Evans and Kaelin Woodard pitched in relief
> Texas Southern registered seven runs on 10 hits and stranded 10 on base
> Victor Cruz, Christian Sanchez and Jordan Hollins each had two hits
> Mason Furlong went six innings and gave up three runs on six hits, walked two and struckout two
> Alex Carrillo (1-2) picked up the win in three innings of relief
 
How It Happened – Game 2
In the nightcap, Grambling State jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning and didn't look back.
 
With one down in the bottom of the first, Ian Bailey singled and moved to second when Isaiah Torres was hit by a pitch. Richard Ortiz followed and drilled a 1-1 pitch over the left field wall to give Grambling State a 3-0 advantage.
 
Texas Southern plated one run in the second and one in the fourth to close the gap to 3-2, but Grambling State scored two runs off three hits in the seventh to take a 5-2 lead.
 
Kristian Franklin ripped a one-out single down the left field line in the seventh and moved to second on a Jahmoi Percival infield hit. Ace Felder reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases. With two down, Bailey singled through the left side, scoring Franklin and Percival.
 
Grambling State added to the lead with one run in the eighth for the 6-2 victory.
 
Inside the Numbers
> Grambling State finished with six runs on eight hits, committed four errors and stranded seven baserunners
> Ian Bailey went 2-for-4, with two RBIs and one run scored, while Kristian Franklin went 2-for-4, with a run scored
> Isaiah Torres, Richard Ortiz (three-run homer), Rafael Ramirez III and Jahmoi Percival each recorded one hit
> Ryan Huntington (1-1) started on the mound for GSU and gave up two runs on three hits, with three strikeouts and two walks
> JC Bonilla and Grant Landry (save) pitched the final three innings in relief
> Texas Southern registered two runs on six hits, committed one error and left nine on base
> Keanu Van Kuren led TSU at the plate by going 2-for-4
> Aaron Solis (0-3) took the loss as he was tagged for five runs (four earned) on six hits, with nine strikeouts
> Robert Loza worked one inning in relief
 
Up Next
Grambling State returns to action with a non-conference game on Tuesday with a trip to Alcorn State. First pitch from Lorman, Miss. is set for 6 p.m.
 
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