GRAMBLING, La. | The Grambling State University baseball team led for seven innings, but couldn't fight off a late rally by Prairie View A&M, falling 8-5 in 10 innings on Friday night at Wilbert Ellis Field.
GSU (19-21 overall, 14-5 SWAC) held a 5-2 lead, but surrendered six unanswered runs on the final six innings.
Prairie View A&M (17-24, 13-5) jumped out to an early 2-0 lead on a two-run homer by Alex Martinez in the first inning. After plating a run in the second inning, Grambling State pushed ahead 3-2 on a mammoth two-run homer run from Keylon Mack in the third.
Later in the inning, Vargas drove in his second run of the day with an RBI single to right field. A fielding error allowed the Tigers to push ahead 5-2 heading into the fourth inning.
The Panthers slowly worked their way back in the game, plating a pair of runs in the sixth and seventh innings to make it 5-4. In the ninth inning, a fielding error at third base gave put the tying run on base for PVAMU. That run eventually scored, tying the contest at 5-5.
The wheels fell off for the Tigers in the 10th inning, as PVAMU scored three unearned runs on a pair of errors. GSU wasn't able to respond in the bottom of the frame.
Mack provided a spark at the plate for Grambling State, going 3-for-5 with a home run, a double and two RBI.
Lorenzo Petersen got the start on the mound for GSU, working 7.2 innings and allowing for runs on seven hits, with four strikeouts and five walks.
Ethan Bates (1-2) was charged with the loss after surrendering four unearned runs on two hits with three strikeouts.
Up Next
Grambling State seeks to bounce back on Saturday afternoon, as the Tigers take on PVAMU for game two of the weekend series. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
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