A Saturday doubleheader couldn’t decide a series winner between the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and Grambling State, leaving the series’ fate in Sunday’s hands.
The UAPB baseball team split a pair of games with Grambling State at J.C. Love Field in Ruston, La., on Saturday, winning 6-2 and losing 8-3. The games were moved about 5 miles east from Grambling State’s campus to Louisiana Tech’s turf because of the past week’s rain.
Friday’s weather ravaged the series opener’s schedule. After it was moved from Grambling to Ruston on Friday, the game began three hours after it was scheduled to start, then had to be postponed until Saturday after one inning.
Both teams stuck with their Friday starters when play resumed on Saturday, and the delays didn’t slow down UAPB junior Kenney Fabian (4-6). He pitched seven scoreless innings, holding GSU to two hits and a walk with four strikeouts. His only struggle was hitting batters with pitches, something he did five times.
Grambling (20-23, 15-8 SWAC) scored its only runs of the game against reliever Nate Monceaux in the eighth inning when outfielder Trey Bridges hit a 2-RBI double, cutting UAPB’s lead at the time to 5-2. Cole Kenyon shut the door in the bottom of the ninth by retiring GSU in order with two strikeouts.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
GSU had not lost a conference game started by Mason Martinez (3-3) all year until UAPB scored 4 runs, 3 earned, on eight hits against him in seven innings. He walked two and struck out four.
UAPB (14-31, 12-8) took the lead in the top of the second inning when shortstop Jesus Riera hit an RBI triple, then scored on a wild pitch.
Right fielder Carlos Rodriguez-Velez hit an RBI single in the third which would stand as the game-winning run. UAPB added a run each in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings.
Rodriguez-Velez hit 3 for 5 with an RBI, while first baseman Brant Voth hit 2 for 4 with 2 RBI and a run. Riera hit 2 for 5 with an RBI and a run. Third baseman Trinidad De La Garza hit his first home run of the year in the eighth inning.
This was the first game since April 9 at Lamar in which Vinny Saumell played catcher for UAPB after he was injured in that game. His only appearance since had been at designated hitter against Central Arkansas on April 10. His .351 batting average entering the weekend is second best on the team. He did not play in the second game.
In game two, the Tigers jumped on UAPB starter Major Spence (0-2) early, scoring 3 runs in the first two innings. UAPB cut it to 3-2 in the top of the fourth thanks to RBI hits by Riera and first baseman Ben VanMaanen, but the Tigers scored 1 run in the bottom of the fourth and 3 in the fifth to pull away.
GSU right fielder Jaylyn Bennett hit 3 for 4 with 3 RBI and 3 runs, including a 2-RBI triple in the fifth inning and a solo home run in the seventh. Bridges hit 2 for 3 with 3 RBI.
Spence allowed 5 runs on six hits and three walks with one strikeout in four innings. Brendan Hamlin allowed 3 runs in 3.2 innings before Emerson Lott recorded the final out.
GSU starter Randy Reyes went 3.1 innings, allowing 2 runs, 1 earned, on two hits with four walks and a strikeout. Top reliever Ethan Bates (5-0) pitched the remaining 5.1 innings, his second longest outing of the season, and allowed 1 run on eight hits with seven strikeouts.
VanMaanen led the UAPB bats, hitting 3 for 4 with an RBI and a run. The Golden Lions tallied 10 hits for the second straight game but failed to capitalize.
The series finale is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday.