Hoping to forget their troubling loss at home to Jackson State in the home opener on Feb. 20, the Grambling State University Tigers headed to Thibodaux, La. to face Nicholls State University for a set of three weekend away games.
The team had work to do to prepare to open the series on Friday, Feb. 22.
After a scoreless first three innings, the Tigers drove in one run to take the lead in the 4th inning. The Colonials responded with a strong three-run homerun to put them on top 3-1 at the end of the inning. Nicholls scored again in the bottom of the 7th and 8th to put the game out of reach and hand Grambling their first loss of the weekend.
Rain resulted in the rescheduling of game two on Saturday making for a doubleheader on Sunday.
On Sunday, the opening game of the day did not go the way the Tigers wanted either. After the Tigers tied the game in the top of the 5th inning, the Colonials responded with six runs in the bottom of the same inning.
Star pitcher Jason Alvarez struggled on the mound early.Through 4.1 innings Alvarez allowed seven runs, walked four batters and only struck out three batters. This was only the beginning of the team’s pitching struggles as Kerry Boykins, Jr. and Jamary McKinney gave up nine more runs in relief in the 16-5 defeat.
GSU’s struggles continued into second part of the doubleheader. The Colonials went ahead by two runs in the bottom of the 2nd inning.
Grambling responded with a run of their own to cut the Colonials lead in the top of the 3rd. However, the lead was extended as Nicholls drove five runs in one inning and nearly shut the Tigers out the rest of the game. In the top of the 9th, the Tigers tried to gain momentum and scored one last run off of a Richard Ortiz RBI.
Wiley vs. GSU
GSU split a doubleheader with Wiley College on Feb. 27.
After falling victim 5-3 in the first game the Tigers bounced back with a 8-3 victory at Wilbert Ellis Field at R.W.E. Jones Park.
Isaiah Torres paced the Tigers on offense in the first game going 3-for-4 from the plate.
In the second matchup the Tigers exploded for six runs in the fifth inning to grab an 8-2 advantage.
Kevin Whitaker paced the Tigers on offense going 3-for-4, with four RBIs from the plate. Grant Landry pitched five innings and earned his first victory.
GSU will play a doubleheader Tuesday, Feb. 26 in search of their first home win and win outside of a tournament setting.
The Tigers will next face Texas Southern University in a three-game weekend against another SWAC opponent. At 2-5, the team is looking to use home field advantage to help them secure a victory.