JADA STOKES/The Gramblinite
Pitcher Bryan Delgado throws a pitch against Arkansas-Pine Bluff in SWAC play at Wilbert Ellis Feild.
JADA STOKES/The Gramblinite
Senior Drexler Macaay takes a lead as the Tigers captured an 11-0 victory over UAPB.
The Grambling State University men’s baseball team completed a three-game sweep against the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff Lions March 15-17.
Game 1 – Friday, March 15
After a scoreless first two innings, Grambling State struck for three runs on one hit and took advantage of an error to take an early 3-0 lead. With one down in the third inning, Michael Sookdeo and CJ Mervilus drew back-to-back walks. After an Ian Bailey strikeout, Drexler Macaay doubled to left center to bring in Sookdeo and Mervilus. Macaay advanced to third and scored on an error to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead. GSU extended the lead to 6-0 with three runs in the fifth. Sookdeo reached on an error to begin the frame, but was out at second on a Mervilus fielder’s choice. Bailey singled to center and both came across to score on a Macaay three-run homer. The G-men pulled away in the sixth, connected five runs on seven hits. Trevin Bolden opened the inning with a single to right center and moved to third on Nick Wheeler’s base hit to right center. Sookdeo doubled down the left field line to plate Bolden. With one down in the inning, Bailey singled up the middle and Macaay followed with a single to right as Wheeler and Sookdeo scored. Isaiah Torres brought in Bailey on a doubled to left center. Bolden, batting for the second time in the frame, singled to center to plate Macaay as GSU captured the 11-0 victory.
Game 2 – Saturday, March 16
Macaay begin the scoring for GSU connecting his second homer of the series, a solo shot, to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead. The score remained 1-0 until the seventh when UAPB tied the game with one run on two hits. The Golden Lions took a 3-1 advantage with a pair of runs in the top of the eighth, but GSU answered with three runs on their own to grab a 4-3 lead. In the eighth, Rafael Ramirez III walked and was lifted for pinch runner Phil Adams, Jr. Ian Bailey followed with a base hit up the middle and Macaay reached on a bunt single to load the bases. Isaiah Torres singled up the middle to score Adams and Bailey and Macaay moved to third. Jahmoi Percival connected on a fielder’s choice as Torres was out at second, but Macaay scored giving GSU the slim, 4-3 advantage. UAPB tied the game at 4 with a run in the ninth, as the Tigers won the game in the bottom of the 10th. Macaay opened the frame with a base hit through the left side and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Torres. Jalen Heath, who pinch hit for Percival, walked and Trevin Bolden was intentionally walked to load bases with two outs. Macaay then scored on a passed ball to give the Tigers the walk-off victory.
Game 3 – Sunday, March 17
GSU opened the scoring with one run in the fifth breaking the 0-0 tie. Garrett Smith walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch.
Smith moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Trevin Bolden and scored when Ace Felder reached on a fielder’s choice. GSU added to its lead in the sixth. Bailey doubled and moved to third on a Torres ground out. Macaay and Smith drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. All three runners came across scoring on walks to Bolden, Felder and Smith to give GSU a 4-0 lead. UAPB loaded the bases in the ninth at plated cut the margin to 4-1 after a hit by pitch to Brandon Simon.
However, Ricardo Sanchez bounced into the game-ending double play giving the Tigers the 4-1 win.
GSU vs. JSU
The Grambling State University men’s baseball dropped a two-game non-conference series to Jackson State University with Tuesday night’s loss.
GSU opened the scoring with a pair of runs on two hits to grab 2-0 advantage in the top of the second inning.
Drexler Macaay, Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Hitter of the Week, singled to begin the frame and advanced to second on a walk to Garrett Smith. Both runners advanced a base due to a passed ball. Trevin Bolden grounded out to second to plate Macaay with Smith scoring on a Michael Sookdeo single up the middle.
JSU answered with three runs on three hits in the bottom half of the second inning to take a 3-2 lead. JSU increased its lead in the bottom of the third inning to 7-2 after plating four runs on four hits and took advantage on one error.
JSU put the game away for good with three runs in the eighth inning capturing the 10-2 win.
GSU returns to action for a three-game series this weekend against rival Southern.
The series begins with a 6 p.m. game on Friday at Lee-Hines Field in Baton Rouge, La. The Tigers will play at 2 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday against the Jaguars.