HOUSTON — Close calls against big-name teams can only give Arkansas-Pine Bluff hope on the baseball diamond. But Texas Southern is having its way against the Golden Lions.
The host Tigers scored two runs in the bottom of the 10th inning to open a SWAC doubleheader Saturday with a 5-4 victory over the Lions, then scored a run each in the sixth and seventh innings of a 6-4 win to move ahead in a battle for the fourth and final conference playoff spot from the Western Division. TSU (19-21, 7-12 SWAC) has won four of five against UAPB (6-31-1, 5-12) this season, and the Lions have now lost seven straight.
James Boulware hit an RBI single in the 10th inning of the first game to give UAPB a 4-3 lead, but Texas Southern came back with a run on a bunt single and another score on an error by the catcher to win. Christian Weeber had two of UAPB’s six hits, while TSU totaled 12.
Michael Newby gave up two earned runs and 11 hits in 7 1/3 innings in a no-decision. Stanten Jones threw two-thirds of an inning without a hit, but Brett Schweiger allowed both runs on one hit in the 10th for the loss.
In the second game, UAPB led 4-0 through the top of the fourth before TSU scored two each in the fourth and fifth innings. The Lions outhit the Tigers 8-6, but each team committed three errors.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Sean Samsa and Boulware each went 2 for 4 for the Lions. Samsa knocked in two runs.
Jones suffered the loss after allowing two runs on two hits in three innings. Jordan Sechler gave up four earned runs on four hits in the first five innings.
For TSU, Watson Chapel alumnus Sebastian Stargell went 1 for 4 in the first game.