Jackson State University

ITTA BENA, Miss. | Jackson State won its third consecutive Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) series with a 7-1 victory over Mississippi Valley State in the series finale at Magnolia Field on Sunday afternoon.

Jackson State (24-23, 14-13 SWAC) used an RBI double from Diego Melendez in the top of the first inning to extend his hitting streak to 20 games and grab a one-run lead, adding two more in the fourth and another in the fifth to extend the lead to 4-0. The lead stayed that way until Mississippi Valley State scored a run in the fifth to trim the lead to 4-1, until the Tigers answered in the top of the seventh with a pair of their own off of two RBI singles in the inning to push the lead to 6-1.

Pierre Cabral led a 15-hit attack, finishing 3-for-5 with a pair of RBI and a run scored, while Robert Tate Jr. finished 3-for-5 with a solo home run in the ninth to extend the lead to 7-1. Meanwhile, Hederick Torres and Shemar Harris each finished the day 2-for-4 with an RBI, with Torres scoring a run in the win.

Derek Arrocha (6-4) picked up the win with a complete game effort, allowing one run on seven hits with seven strikeouts. The complete game is the fourth for the Tigers this season, and the first for Arrocha. 

How It Happened

• 1st inning (top) - Melendez doubled to left center, RBI; Tate scored; Jackson State 1-0. 
• 4th inning (top) - Torres singled to right field, RBI; Cabral scored. Harris doubled, RBI; Tyshon Patty advanced to third; Torres scored; Jackson State 3-0. 
• 5th inning (top) - Cabral singled to center field, RBI; Tyree Reed scored; Jackson State 4-0. 
• 5th inning (bottom) - Cody Leming singled to left field, RBI; Tanner Aoki advanced to second, out at third lf to c to ss; Johnny Escobalez Jr. scored; Jackson State 4-1. 
• 7th inning (top) - Cabral singled to left field, RBI; Tate advanced to second; Reed scored. Edwin Lemus Hudson Jr. singled to right field, RBI (0-0); Tate scored; Jackson State 6-1. 
• 9th inning (top) - Tate homered to right field, RBI ; Jackson State 7-1. 

Up Next
Jackson State returns home for the final regular season series of the season, hosting Arkansas-Pine Bluff beginning Thursday night with the teams tied in the conference standings.

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