GRAMBLING, La. | The Grambling State University baseball team lost a pivotal Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) contest on Sunday afternoon at Wilbert Ellis Field at R.W.E. Jones Park, falling 16-8 to Texas Southern.
The loss dropped GSU to 22-29 overall and 17-10 in the SWAC, damaging the Tigers' opportunity to earn the west division crown and the No. 1 seed in the 2022 SWAC baseball Tournament.
Roy Peguero (2-4) was charged with the loss, allowing five runs on two hits in 1.2 innings of work. He issued four ways, striking out one batter.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Similar to Saturday's game, Texas Southern jumped ahead of GSU quickly, crafting a 6-0 lead through the opening two innings.
- Grambling State tried to find a spark in the bottom of the fourth inning when Shemar Page stroked a leadoff triple to right centerfield. Trevor Hatton drove him in to score with a single to center field, cutting TSU's lead to 6-1.
- On a stolen base attempt by Hatton, he reached safely, but throwing errors by the catcher and right fielder allowed him to score, trimming the deficit to 6-2.
- John Garcia then answered with a mammoth home run to left field, shrinking Texas Southern's lead to 6-3 with no outs in the bottom of the fourth.TSU pitcher, Adolf Castillo settled down, retiring the next three batters
- Texas Southern answered with three-run home run by Roderick Coffee to stretch TSU's cushion back to the six runs, 9-3.
- After TSU pushed it's lead to 11-3 in the top of the sixth, GSU got three runs back in the bottom of the frame. John Garcia and Cameron Bufford opened the Tigers' half of the inning with back-to-back walks. Aries Gardner drove both runs in to score with a single to right field, keeping GSU within striking distance, 11-6.
- In the bottom of the eighth inning, GSU inched closer, plating two runs. Grambling State had the bases loaded, driving a run in when Jarficur Parker got hit by a pitch, and a dropped third strike that scooted away from the catcher, allowing another run to cross the plate, shrinking the deficit to 11-8.
- GSU couldn't pull any closer as TSU scored five unanswered runs in the top of the ninth inning.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- Grambling State scored eight runs runs on eight hits. The Tigers left eight runners on base
- Texas Southern finished with 16 runs on 15 hits, leaving nine runners stranded
- GSU committed one error
- TSU made four errors
- John Garcia went 1-for-3 with a solo home run
- Aries Gardner went 1-for-2 with two RBI
- Julian Murphy and Shemar Page both went 2-for-4
- Texas Southern hit four triples
UP NEXT
Grambling State wraps up the regular season with the three game series versus Arkansas-Pine Bluff, beginning on Thursday. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.