NEW ORLEANS, La. | The Grambling State University baseball team extended its season with a victory over Prairie View A&M on Friday morning in an elimination game and after starting slow against Alabama State in the second game, the Tigers erupted for 10 runs in the third inning and cruised to a 15-9 victory over the Hornets in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Baseball Tournament at Wesley Barrow Stadium.
 
Grambling State (27-24), the West No. 2 seed, continues to stay alive in the elimination bracket and will face off against Alabama State on Saturday with the winner advancing to Sunday's championship game. First pitch for the semifinal game is set for noon at Wesley Barrow Stadium.
 
How It Happened
Grambling State struck first with one run in the top half of the first inning.
 
Isaiah Torres led off the game with a double down the right field line and came across to score on a two-out base hit to right by Drexler Macaay.
 
Alabama State answered in the bottom of the frame with four runs on four hits and took advantage of two errors to grab a 4-1 lead.
 
The Hornets added to the lead with one run in the second to push the margin to 5-1.
 
The Tigers, which sent 14 batters to plate in the third, erupted for 10 runs on six hits to grab a 11-5 advantage.
 
Torres opened the inning with a walk and moved to second on a Jahmoi Percival walk. Both runners advanced a base on a wild pitch. Drexler Macaay doubled to plate both runners and Garrett Smith followed with a single through the right side. Macaay scored on a wild pitch as Smith took second on the play. Ian Bailey and Trevin Bolden drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. Nick Wheeler delivered a clutch two-strike double to clear the bases. CJ Mervilus singled up the middle to score Wheeler. Torres walked and after a pitching change, Percival ripped a two-out triple to right center to score Mervilus and Torres. Macaay continued the inning with a base hit to left to plate Percival.
 
Grambling State picked up another run in the fifth as Mervilus, who reached on a leadoff single to right, scored when Pervical reached on a fielder's choice to give the Tigers a commanding 12-5 lead.
 
Alabama State closed the gap in the bottom of the sixth to 12-8 on homers by Chris Lewis and Yamil Pagan.
 
Back came the Tigers in the seventh as Percival reached on a two-out triple and came across to score on an infield hit by Macaay as Grambling State pushed the advantage to 13-8.
 
Grambling State continued to stretch the lead as the Tigers plated two more runs in the eighth to extend the advantage to 15-8.
 
Inside the Numbers
> Grambling State finished with 15 runs on 17 hits, committed three errors and left 11 on base
> Drexler Macaay paced the Tigers offense by going 5-for-5, with five RBIs and one run scored
> Nick Wheeler was 3-for-5, with three RBIs and two runs scored
> Isaiah Torres (three runs scored), Jahmoi Percival (three runs scored and three RBIs) and CJ Mervilus (three runs scored) each collected two hits
> Ryan Huntington worked two innings and did not figure into the decision. He was tagged for five runs on six hits, walked one and struck out one in two innings
> JC Bonilla (1-1) and Kaelin Woodard worked in relief
> Alabama State finished with nine runs on 13 hits, with two errors and stranded seven on base
> Chris Lewis collected four hits, while Noel Cheneau and Santiago Garcia each registered two hits
> Darrius Wright started on the hill for the Hornets and lasted 2.1 innings. He surrendered four runs on seven hits, fanned six and walked four
> Trevor Jurjevich, Alexander Castro, Britt Buckelew and Nate Gerard pitched in relief
 
News and Notes
> Grambling State entered the tournament as the SWAC Western Division No. 2 seed
> Alabama State entered the tournament as the SWAC Eastern Division No. 1 seed
> Grambling State eliminated Prairie View A&M from the tournament
> Alabama State defeated Grambling State, 5-3, on Thursday
> This was the third meeting between Grambling State and Alabama State
> Bryan Delgado, Drexler Macaay, Isaiah Torres and Kevin Whitaker, Jr. were named to the All-SWAC Second Team on Tuesday
> The Tigers improved to 10-3 against opponents on the top portion of the bracket
> Tigers head coach James Cooper improved to 16-15 all-time in SWAC Tournament games
> With the victory, James Cooper improved to 8-8 all-time against Alabama State
> Grambling State is seeking to reach the SWAC Championship game in back-to-back seasons
 
Up Next
Grambling State continues to stay alive in the elimination bracket and will face off against Alabama State on Saturday with the winner advancing to Sunday's championship game. First pitch for the semifinal game is set for noon at Wesley Barrow Stadium.
 
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