HOUSTON – The Jackson State baseball team scored early, often, and late in beating Mississippi Valley State 14-1 in seven innings on day two of the Houston Astros Cactus Jack HBCU Classic at Minute Maid Park.
Every JSU position player got a hit, led by
Jaelen Williams (three RBI) and
Ty Hill (two RBI) each had three hits and scored a run, combining to drive in five runs to power the 15-hit attack. On the mound,
Christian Womble allowed only two hits, one run, walked three, and struck out 11 in six innings.
A pair of two-run doubles by Williams and
Caleb Evans, each down the right field line, gave JSU a 4-0 first-inning lead.
In the third,
Daniel Bannon was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, scoring
Marcus Atterberry for a 4-0 lead. After
Colby Guy reached on an error scoring
Marshal Luiz, Hill and Williams followed with back-to-back infield RBI singles, scoring
Jatavis Melton and Bannon, respectively, to give the Tigers an 8-0 lead.
That would be more than enough for Womble. Making his first start for the Tigers, Womble threw 62 of his 100 pitches for strikes, and he struck out two Valley hitters in an inning five times.
Leading 11-0 in the fifth, Jackson State added a trio of runs, all with two outs. Luiz and Melton each walked before Bannon's two-run double to right-center field increased the lead. Guy's infield single down the first base line scored Bannon with the final Tigers' run.
Bannon had two hits, drove in four runs, and scored twice for JSU. Guy drove in three runs, while Luiz and Melton each scored three times.
Jackson State will play its final game in Houston Sunday vs. Prairie View A&M at 3 p.m. The online radio broadcast begins at 2:45 p.m. on gojsutigers.com/live.
