Baseball Season Comes To A Close After Pitching Duel

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MADISON, Ala. – TSU’s 2021 baseball season came to an end as Grambling State scored four times in the eighth after an intense 5-2 pitching duel on Friday morning at Toyota Field in the SWAC Tournament.

The afternoon belonged to the defense as Grambling State scored first in the sixth on an RBI triple. TSU would answer in the seventh as Avery Chatman hit a one-out triple and back-to-back walks loaded the bases for TSU. Chatman tied the baseball game on Jordan Vidato’s RBI single.

TSU would move ahead 2-1 after the top of the eighth on Reuben Bennevendo’s RBI single to score Nic Garza. However, the lead was short-lived as GSU opened the bottom frame with a single and walk. Jordan Martinez, who was masterful on the mound, picked up a big strikeout but allowed a three-run homer on the next at-bat which led to a TSU pitching change. GSU would cross home one more run for the 5-2 lead which they would never relinquish despite TSU having the tying run at the plate in the ninth.

Justin Cooper finished 3-for-4 with an RBI followed by Tyrese Clayborne’s 2-for-4 performance. Martinez struck out nine for TSU in 7.1 innings.

Team Statistics

PITCHING: W: Woodard, Kaelin (1-1); L: Adolf Castillo (1-3)

Texas Southern

BATTING: 3B: Avery Chatman 1; RBI: Justin Cooper 1; Reuben Bennevendo 1
BASERUNNING:: RUNS: Nic Garza 1; Avery Chatman 1; PO: Tyson Thompson 1

Grambling State

BATTING:: 2B: Almaguer, Jeremy 1; Mervilus, C 1; 3B: Percival, Jahmoi 1; HR: Smith, Jordyn 1; RBI: Percival, Jahmoi 1; Smith, Jordyn 3; Mervilus, C 1
BASERUNNING:: RUNS: Bufford, Cameron 2; Percival, Jahmoi 1; Smith, Jordyn 1; Gunn, Joseph 1; CS: Percival, Jahmoi 1