ATLANTA, Ga. | Jackson State pulled away from Texas Southern late with a 17-4 run-rule victory in the opening game of the Pepsi Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Baseball Tournament sponsored by Chevrolet.
Each starter in the lineup for Jackson State (34-18) picked up a hit in the opener with three different players each picking up three hits in the win.
Arjun Huerta finished 3-for-3 with five RBI, a double, and a home run. Meanwhile,
Lenny Montesano finished 3-for-5 with a pair of runs scored and a double, and
Joseph Eichelberger finished 3-for-5 with three RBI and a pair of runs scored.
Three other players –
Jordan McCladdie,
Robert Tate Jr., and
Shemar Harris – picked up a pair of hits to add to the 18-hit attack.
Jackson State jumped ahead early sending nine hitters to the plate scoring five runs in the top of the fifth inning to provide
Garrett VanDeventer with some early run support. Texas Southern answered in the bottom of the half of the first inning loading the bases twice and sending seven hitters to the plate before scoring just two.
Je-andrick Lourens (3-3) picked up the win working 3.2 innings of relief for Jackson State allowing just two hits with a pair of strikeouts.
Christian Womble picked up his eighth save of the season working the final 2.0 innings of scoreless relief allowing just one hit.
The Tigers pulled away in the seventh when the first 10 batters of the inning reached and 11 runs crossed the plate. In that inning, both Eichelberger and
Myles White picked up three RBIs each.
How It Happened
- (T1) McCladdie singled through the right side to score Rodney Hibler Jr. who led off the game with a first-pitch triple before scoring on a White bunt with runners on the corners. The inning continued when Huerta cleared the bases with a one-out double to extend the lead, Jackson State 5-0.
- (B1) Jason Lazo was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded before Nasir Frederick reached on an infield single with the bases loaded to trim the deficit, Jackson State 5-2.
- (B2) Nin Burns II doubled to the left center gap to score a pair of runs, Jackson State 5-4.
- (T5) Tate reached on a fielder's choice bringing in McCladdie, Jackson State 6-4.
- (T7) White singled past a drawn-in infield to drive in a pair of runs and extend the lead followed by a double to the gap from Eichelberger to drive in two more. The Tigers added two more on a two-run blast to dead center after the batter's eye by Huerta before the inning continued when McCladdie cleared the bases with a single to center before an RBI groundout White and an RBI single by Eichelberger, Jackson State 17-4.
Up Next
Jackson State returns to action on Thursday at 3 p.m. (ET) in the winner's bracket against Bethune-Cookman.
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