Senior catcher Drexler Macaay rounds the bases as GSU de- feated Prairie View. GSU Athletics/Courtesy photo
The Grambling State men’s baseball team finished 2-1 in athree game series against Prairie View A&M and followed with a win over Mississippi Valley State last week.
Grambling State (16-19 overall, 11-7 SWAC) split the doubleheader with Prairie View A&M (13-25, 8-9) on Friday and took the series with a victo- ry on Sunday.
The Tigers won the season series against the Panthers, 4-2. The victory allowed Tigers
head coach James Cooper to come within a win shy of 200 for his collegiate coaching career.
Friday, April 12 – GSU vs. PVAMU (Game 1)
GSU exploded for ve runson four hits to grab a 5-0 lead in the second inning.
Nick Wheeler opened the frame with a walk and ad- vanced to third when Jahmoi Percival reached on an error. Kevin Whitaker followed with a base hit through the left side as Wheeler scored easily from third base and Percival was thrown out at third.
Drexler Macaay slammed a three-run home run. Isaiah Torres doubled off the wall in left and came across to score on a Richard Ortiz base hit toleft giving the Tigers a ve-runlead. Prairie View A&M (13-24, 8-8) plated a run in the third in- ning, but a homer by Ortiz inthe fth extended the Tigerslead 6-1.
The Panthers closed the gap to 6-2 with one run in the sixth inning.
GSU put the game away in the eighth inning, as Bailey walked and scored on a Macaay triple to right extending the Ti- gers lead to 7-2. GSU took the series opener.
Friday, April 12 – GSU vs. PVAMU (Game 2)
PVAMU opened the scoring with one run in the top of therst inning and added ve moreruns in the second inning, grab- bing an early 6-0 lead.
GSU got a run back and closed the gap to 6-1 with a solo homer by Rafael Ramirez, III.
The Tigers continued to narrow the gap as Drexler Ma- caay doubled off the wall in the
fourth inning and scored on an RBI base hit to right center by Isaiah Torres. Kevin Whitaker, Jr. plated Torres from third base on a two-out base hit to left cen- ter to cut the margin to 6-3.
The Tigers bounced back with one run in the sixth inning as Ortiz doubled off the wall in left and scored on a Whitaker sacrifice y to center to cut the de cit to 10-4.
GSU showed signs of a comeback as the Tigers platedthree runs in the nal inning.Wheeler opened the frame with a walk and was out at second when Warren Laster reached ona elder’s choice.
Macaay doubled to cen-
er to plate Laster and Tor- res followed with a double toscore Macaay. Whitaker iedout to center to end the game.
Sunday, April 14 – GSU vs. PVAMU (Game 3)
Prairie View A&M loaded the bases in the third inning with no outs and got a pair ofsacri ce ies to grab a 2-0 ad– vantage.
However, GSU answered with six runs on four hits to take a 6-2 lead in the bottom half of the inning. Warren Laster opened the frame with a bunt and moved to second base when CJ Mervilus reached on aelder’s choice.
With one down, pitches bringing in Laster from third hit Drexler Macaay and Richard Ortiz. Rafael Ramirez, III sin- gled to right to score Mervilus. Kevin Whitaker, Jr. plated two with a single left and Jahomi Per-cival ied out to right bringing inRamirez and Whitaker giving the Tigers a four-run advantage.
The Panthers took advan- tage of a Tiger error in the tophalf of the fth closing the gapto 6-3.
GSU got the run back in the sixth inning.
With one down in the frame, Mervilus walked and moved to third on a base hit by Isaiah Torres. Macaay struck out and Torres stole second as the catch-er’s throw went into center eld,which allowed Mervilus to score from third to give the Tigers a 7-3 lead. The Tigers picked up an insurance run in the eighth inning. Mervilus reached on an error to begin the frame and moved to second when Torres walked. Macaay reached on a bunt single to load the bases. After a pitching change, Trevin Bolden drew a one-out walk to bring in Mervilus as the Tigers won the game 8-4.
Tuesday, April 16 – GSU vs. MVSU
GSU plated four runs in the fourth inning and held off a late rally by Mississippi Valley State for a 9-7 victory on Tues- day night at Wilbert Ellis Field.
GSU returns to action on Friday, April 19 with a road se- ries against the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff.
The first pitch is set for 3p.m. at Torii Hunter Baseball Complex.