GRAMBLING, La. | The Grambling State University baseball team closed ground in the race for the top seed in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) West Division with a 5-2 victory over Texas Southern on Friday afternoon at Wilbert Ellis Field at R.W.E. Jones Park on Friday evening.

The win improved GSU's record to 22-27 overall, 17-8 in the SWAC. 

Jarficur Parker and John Garcia both had big games for the Tigers, combining for four doubles. Parker went 2-for-3 with two doubles and two runs scored, while Garcia went 3-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI and two runs scored.

Cameron Bufford also had a solid day, driving in two runs and going 2-for-3 with two RBI.

GSU starting pitcher Shemar Page (7-4) notched another victory, allowing just two runs on seven hits to go along with seven strikeouts. 

HOW IT HAPPENED 

• - Grambling State's Jarficur Parker got on base after he was hit by a pitch in the Tigers second at-bat of the contest. After Parker moved around to third base on a failed pickoff attempt, John Garcia stroked a double to the left field corner, scoring Parker and giving the Tigers a 1-0 lead.
• Texas Southern (24-22, 15-10) tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the third, thanks to a solo home run by Roderick Coffee
• In the the bottom of the third, Parker laced a leadoff double to left field. Two batters later, Garcia notched his second double of the day, driving Parker around to score and putting the Tigers back on top 2-1. An RBI single by Cameron Bufford in the next at-bat brought Garcia in to score, extending Grambling State's lead to 3-1.
• GSU gave up an unearned run in the top of the fourth as Gabe Vasquez, who reached base on throwing error, came around to score on a single later in the inning, pulling Texas Southern within one run, 3-2.
• GSU pushed its advantage to 4-2 in the bottom of the inning. Aries Gardner and Nasir Frederick both drew walks to open the Tigers' half of the frame. During Frederick's at-bat, Gardner advanced to second and third on wild pitches. After Frederick reached base, he stole second base prompting a throw from the catcher, allowing Gardner to cross the plate on the throw.
• In the bottom of the seventh inning, Garcia notched his third hit of the game with a base knock to left field. After advancing to second on a wild pitch, Bufford shot an RBI single to centerfield, building a 5-2 advantage for the Tigers. 
• JC Bonilla shut the door on TSU in the ninth inning, striking out two of the three batters he faced in the ninth inning, earning his first save of the year

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

• Grambling State plated five runs on seven hits. The Tigers left eight runners on base
• Texas Southern finished with two runs on seven hits, leaving six runners stranded 
•  Both teams committed one error each
• GSU tallied four extra base hits
• CJ Castillo (3-4) was charged with the loss for TSU, surrendering four runs on five hits. He also struck out eight batters, and issued four walks

UP NEXT 
Grambling State looks to claim another conference series victory on Saturday in game two versus Texas Southern. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. 

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