BIRMINGHAM, Ala. | The Grambling State University baseball team saw its season come to an end on Friday night during an elimination game in the 2022 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Baseball Tournament with a 19-0 loss to Bethune-Cookman in seven innings.
Bethune-Cookman (27-31) advances to meet Alabama State on Saturday. The Wildcats will need two victories over the Hornets in order to reach the SWAC Baseball Tournament Championship game. With the loss, Grambling State, which went 2-9 against East Division teams, was eliminated and ends its season with a 26-31 overall record.
The Wildcats led 1-0 after three innings and 4-0 through four innings before scoring 12 runs on seven hits, while taking advantage of an error to put the game out of reach at 16-0 after five innings.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Bethune-Cookman got on the board in the top of the third inning as Jan Reyes was hit by a pitch with one out and moved to second on a base hit through the left side by Colton Olasin. Both runners advanced on a passed ball and Reyes scored on a Malik Stephens groundout as the Wildcats grabbed a 1-0 lead.
- Grambling State had an opportunity to tie the game in the bottom of the frame as David Valoy Jr., doubled to left and moved to third on a wild pitch with one out. However, Nasir Frederick struck out and Jarficur Parker popped out to center to end the scoring threat.
- The Wildcats added to the lead in the fourth by scoring three runs on four hits and took advantage of one Tiger error to extend the margin to 4-0.
- Chris Patterson led off the inning with a single up the middle, but was out at second on a Irvin Escobar fielder's choice. With two down, Boris Pena doubled to left, scoring Escobar all the way from first. Jeremy Garcia singled through the left side to plate Pena and Garcia scored when Olasin reached on an error.
- Bethune-Cookman continued to pile on the runs in the fifth inning, scoring 12 runs, including a Brian Perez three-run homer to deep left, pushing the advantage to 16-0.
- Franki Febles tattooed a moon shot deep over the left field wall for a three-run homer as the Wildcats added to the margin at 19-0 in the seventh inning
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- Grambling State registered four hits, three errors and left four on base
- Bethune-Cookman finished with 19 runs on 17 hits and stranded eight on base
- Shemar Page paced the Grambling State offense with a pair of hits
- Connor Rudy (5-9) took the loss in 4.1 innings pitched. He was tagged for seven runs (five earned) on seven hits, with four strikeouts and a pair of walks
- Malik Abdul, Heath Backhus, Emir Garrett and Santiago Hungria III worked in relief
- Hector Vazquez (7-5) picked up the win in a complete game. He scattered four hits and fanned six in seven innings
- Matthew Garcia led the Wildcats at the plate by going 3-for-5, with three runs scored and one RBI
- Boris Pena, Chris Patterson, Jeremy Garcia and Jan Reyes each collected two hits
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