HOUSTON – The Golden Lions of Arkansas–Pine Bluff avoided a series sweep at Texas Southern on Sunday as they outlasted the Tigers 14-11.
The Tigers fell behind by 11 runs but responded with seven runs in the fifth inning, but they could not catch up to their guests as they dropped their first home game of the season.
Pine Bluff (4-14) improved to 3-3 in Southwestern Athletic Conference divisional play. TSU (6-13, 6-2 SWAC) remained in first place in the conference's West Division despite the loss.
Trailing 13-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Tigers rallied for seven runs that came home on three swings of the bat. Olajide Oloruntimilehin cracked a three-run home run with no outs to cut the Pine Bluff's lead to single digits. Gerreck Jimenez later knocked a two-RBI double, and Kamren Dukes added a two-RBI triple.
Two outfield assists to catch runners out at the plate in the fifth inning kept the Tigers from inflicting more damage to Pine Bluff in the inning.
C.J. Lewington picked up the win in relief for the Golden Lions, pitching four and one-thirds innings and shutting down the fifth-inning rally. The two runs charged to him came off the bats of Charles Guillory and Richard Alamo in the seventh inning.
TSU's Travis Smith pitched four and one-thirds innings of effective relief, striking out five batters and allowing only earned run as the Tigers tried to claw their back into the game. Starting pitcher Daniel Vasquez took the loss for Texas Southern.
Guillory hit his first home run of the season to lead off the third inning.
The Tigers make a short trip to the University of Houston on Wednesday to face the Cougars. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. TSU hosts another SWAC series next weekend when the Tigers welcome Grambling State.
Courtesy: TSU Athletics
The Tigers fell behind by 11 runs but responded with seven runs in the fifth inning, but they could not catch up to their guests as they dropped their first home game of the season.
Pine Bluff (4-14) improved to 3-3 in Southwestern Athletic Conference divisional play. TSU (6-13, 6-2 SWAC) remained in first place in the conference's West Division despite the loss.
Trailing 13-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Tigers rallied for seven runs that came home on three swings of the bat. Olajide Oloruntimilehin cracked a three-run home run with no outs to cut the Pine Bluff's lead to single digits. Gerreck Jimenez later knocked a two-RBI double, and Kamren Dukes added a two-RBI triple.
Two outfield assists to catch runners out at the plate in the fifth inning kept the Tigers from inflicting more damage to Pine Bluff in the inning.
C.J. Lewington picked up the win in relief for the Golden Lions, pitching four and one-thirds innings and shutting down the fifth-inning rally. The two runs charged to him came off the bats of Charles Guillory and Richard Alamo in the seventh inning.
TSU's Travis Smith pitched four and one-thirds innings of effective relief, striking out five batters and allowing only earned run as the Tigers tried to claw their back into the game. Starting pitcher Daniel Vasquez took the loss for Texas Southern.
Guillory hit his first home run of the season to lead off the third inning.
The Tigers make a short trip to the University of Houston on Wednesday to face the Cougars. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. TSU hosts another SWAC series next weekend when the Tigers welcome Grambling State.
Courtesy: TSU Athletics