Twice Saturday afternoon, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff scored first.
Neither lead held as the UAPB baseball team dropped both games of a doubleheader to Prairie View A&M, 16-5 and 8-2, allowing the Panthers to clinch both teams’ first Southwestern Athletic Conference series of the season at Bill Jones Field at Torii Hunter Complex.
In both games, UAPB (9-10, 0-2 SWAC) led 2-0. Both times, Prairie View A&M took the lead in the fourth inning.
UAPB coach Carlos James said the Golden Lions were beaten by a better team.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
“I thought our guys came out with a lot of energy and effort early,” James said. “We jumped on them first. We scored 2. Prairie View’s a really good team. I think they’re picked second in the [division]. They played a tough schedule. They answered, just like what they should do. They are a really good team. Big team, fast, they got it all.”
UAPB scored in the first inning in the first game. Left fielder Brandon Simon hit an RBI triple, then scored on JaKobi Jackson’s RBI single. Prairie View A&M left fielder Michael Burroughs tied the game in the third with a 2-RBI double, then catcher Derrek Lathan gave Prairie View A&M the lead with a 2-RBI single in the third.
The Golden Lions fought back to tie the game at 4. That score held until UAPB starter Calvin McClendon exited the game with two outs in the top of the sixth inning with a runner on first. Jaxson Lucas, the SWAC’s ERA leader, entered in relief but struggled to get the final out.
Prairie View A&M (10-10, 2-0) took a 7-4 lead before Lucas ended the inning with a strikeout. He retired the Panthers in order in the seventh, but he and three other bullpen arms combined to give up 5 runs in the eighth and 4 in the ninth.
Burroughs tallied 6 RBIs and 2 runs on 3-of-4 hitting. He hit two 2-RBI doubles. Leadoff hitter Michael Smith Jr. scored 4 runs.
The Panthers’ starting pitcher, Michael Dews, went 7 2/3 innings with 10 strikeouts, 1 walk and 7 hits. He allowed all 5 UAPB runs. Elijah Breeden closed for Prairie View A&M and retired all four hitters he faced.
McClendon allowed 5 runs on 6 hits in his 5 2/3-inning start. He struck out 6 hitters and walked 4. Right fielder Carlos Rodriguez-Velez led the offense, hitting 2 for 3 with 2 RBIs and 2 runs.
It took UAPB longer to score in Game 2, but the Golden Lions led 2-0 after the third thanks to a sacrifice fly from centerfielder Gavin Terry and an RBI single from first baseman Brandon Simon. The Panthers took a 3-2 lead in the next half inning after a 2-RBI triple from designated hitter Jadin Morena and an RBI single by shortstop Lee Allen Jr.
Prairie View A&M added runs in the sixth and seventh, then pulled away with a 3-run top of the ninth.
UAPB managed eight hits in the second game, most of those coming from Malachi Jeffries (4 for 5) and Jaylon Nauden (3 for 4). James said he was proud of those two, especially Nauden, who had struggled earlier in the season.
“We even benched him for a while,” James said. “He came out, and he responded, and he had a good day today, so I was happy to see that out of him. And then the freshman, Malachi Jeffries, going 4 for 5, I mean, that’s huge. Another kid that, he’s not a scholarship guy. He’s not… He’s done a really good job, and I was proud of him for what he did.”
The series finale is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday.