GRAMBLING, La. | It was a back and forth contest in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) opener for the Grambling State and Southern baseball teams on Friday night, but it was the Tigers who walked away with victory as GSU topped SU 8-7 in 12 innings at Wilbert Ellis Field.
Jose Vargas serves as one of the night's heroes, as it was his 12th inning swing that brought the winning run home and sent a crowd, that braved cold temperatures, home with a smile. On the evening, Vargas went 1-for-3 with a single, a pair a sacrifice bunts, a walk and strikeout.
Ethan Bates (1-0) was also dominant on the mound, in relief, for the Tigers. Bates allowed no runs on on just two hits in five complete innings pitched. He also fanned three batters.
Kyle Walker started things off with a bang, smacking a leadoff triple to deep right centerfield. Tiger Borom brought him in the score in the next at-bat, with a grounder the second base.
Southern starter, Jalen Long, worked himself into the trouble early affer hitting two batters and walking another to load the bases with one out. A wild pitch scored GSU's seen run of the game. Long struck out the next two batters to get out the inning with Grambling State on top 2-0.
GSU (5-12 overall, 1-0 SWAC) starting pitcher, Kendrick Bershell was cruising along until the the top of the fifth inning, when SU (4-12, 0-1) was able to break through and tie the contest 2-2. The Tigers jumped back in front, 3-2, on an RBI single by Trevor Hatton in the bottom of the frame.
The Jaguars had their biggest inning of the evening, plating four runs in the the top of the 6th, opening up a 6-3 lead.
Grambling State was unfazed however, regaining the lead with four runs of its own in the bottom of the inning. The Tigers worked counts and garnered timely hits to to work their way back in the game. With GSU trailing 6-5 with two out, Hatton stroked a two-RBI double, giving the Tigers a one run cushion, 7-6.
Southern tied the game at 7-7 in the top of the 7th on a wild pitch.
In the 12th inning, Cameron Bufford narrowly missed a home run, sending a towering triple, that was misjudged by SU's right fielder Kyle Radcliffe, that put GSU's winning run on third base with no outs. After a strikeout, Vargas squared up a pitch two score Bufford and end the game.
SU's Jerry Burkett II (0-1) was given the loss after working four inning and allowing one run on three hits with a walk and four strikeouts.
Both teams registered 11 hits apiece. Southern left 12 runners on bases, while Grambling State stranded nine.
Up Next
Grambling State continues its series with Southern on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. at Wilbert Ellis Field.
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