A fifth-inning grand slam ensured Bethune-Cookman didn’t leave Pine Bluff empty handed this weekend.
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff baseball team dropped its series finale with the Wildcats 9-0 after winning the first two games at the Torii Hunter Baseball Complex.
Bethune-Cookman (26-19, 17-4 SWAC) led 2-0 in the top of the fifth inning when second baseman Jesus Vanegas hit a grand slam off relief pitcher Steffan Fak. All three runners Vanegas drove in reached base with two outs.
UAPB (13-29, 11-7) coach Logan Stout said the grand slam was a clear sign the Golden Lions’ eight-game conference winning streak was coming to an end.
“I think it was just the nail in the coffin,” Stout said. “The ball bounced our way for quite a few games in a row, and that’s how baseball goes, man. Sometimes, the ball’s just not gonna go your way. That kid’s a great hitter. Fak left one in the wrong part of the plate, and the guy deposited it.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The Wildcats went on to add a run in each of the final three innings. Vanegas finished 1 for 3, while catcher Jorge Rodriguez hit 3 for 4 with 2 runs.
Senior right-handed pitcher Ashton Davis (0-1) made his first start as a Golden Lion, allowing 1 run in 4.0 innings on three hits and a walk with two strikeouts. Fak took over in the fifth, giving up 5 runs on four hits, including the grand slam.
Harish Balachandran, Jayden Brown and Lorenzo Bailey pitched the remaining four innings. All three have been used sparingly, with Bailey having only two prior appearances this season. Bailey pitched the final two innings Sunday after pitching a combined 0.1 innings in his prior outings.
Stout said giving innings to pitchers who haven’t played much is important to prepare the team for the SWAC tournament.
“Seeding doesn’t really matter, to be honest with you,” Stout said. “It’s just get in, and then make sure you have plenty of arms to get you through it. So, we’re at a phase right now where we’re going to do some things to make sure some guys are prepared to pitch when they need to pitch. That’s what we did today.”
UAPB tallied 17 combined hits in the first two games of the series, but the Wildcats held the Golden Lions to four hits in the finale. Bethune’s starting pitcher, Edwin Sanchez (7-1), pitched 7.0 shutout innings, allowing three hits and three walks with four strikeouts. Reliever Pablo Torres held UAPB to one hit in the final two frames.
Right fielder Dane Small hit 2 for 4 with a single and a double. Pinch hitter Darrius Brown and designated hitter Carlos Rodriguez-Velez had the other two hits.
The Golden Lions never had a runner reach third base, with Small coming the closest but being forced out on a fielder’s choice in the second inning.
Sunday’s loss comes after UAPB won 6-5 on Friday and 8-5 on Sunday, handing Bethune-Cookman its first SWAC series defeat this season.
“It was a good series win for us,” Stout said. “We won the series. Proud of the guys. We just didn’t have a good day today. It’s going to happen. It’s baseball. Just an off day.”
The Golden Lions have won three straight series after sweeping Texas Southern and Southern the past two weekends.
UAPB comes out of this series tied in the loss column with Texas Southern and Grambling State but three games behind the duo in the win column. TSU and GSU are tied for fourth in the SWAC.
The difference dates back to the Golden Lions having a three-game series with Prairie View A&M postponed due to severe weather. Stout said Sunday he has submitted proposed makeup dates to the Panthers and is waiting for their response.