The longest active winning streak in the SWAC ended Friday as the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff baseball team pitched a shutout on the road.
UAPB defeated Texas Southern 4-0 in the first of three games between the teams this weekend at MacGregor Park in Houston.
UAPB (6-26, 4-6 SWAC) starting pitcher Kenney Fabian and reliever Nate Monceaux combined to shut out the Tigers, holding them to six hits and three walks. Fabian pitched the first six innings, his second-longest outing of the season, and struck out six hitters. Monceaux pitched the final three innings and struck out two.
The Golden Lions tallied eight hits, including centerfielder Eli Gries-Smith’s go-ahead solo home run in the top of the fourth inning. Shortstop Jesus Riera made it 2-0 in the fifth with an RBI single, and designated hitter Carlos Rodriguez-Velez made it 4-0 in the eighth with a 2-RBI single.
Gries-Smith finished 2 for 3, while Riera hit 2 for 4.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The top third of the UAPB order, including Gries-Smith, Rodriguez-Velez and left fielder Gavin Terry, combined to hit 4 of 11 with 3 RBI and 2 runs.
Texas Southern (16-18, 10-3) starting pitcher Calvin McClendon, a UAPB transfer, allowed 2 runs on five hits in seven innings. He struck out five hitters with no walks.
TSU second baseman Jaden Jones hit 3 for 4, while first baseman Jonathan Trejo hit 2 for 3.
The rest of the Tigers’ lineup combined to finish 1 for 25.
UAPB ended its six-game losing streak with this win while also snapping TSU’s seven-game winning streak.
This was also the Tigers’ first loss at home, having been 4-0 prior to Friday.
The second game of the series in Houston will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday.