JACKSON, Miss. | Jackson State used a six-run third inning and a pair of home runs from Deigo Melendez to move up to the seventh seed for the upcoming Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Baseball Championships with a 12-6 victory over Braddy Field on Saturday afternoon.
Leading 4-3 heading into the bottom of the third inning, Jackson State used a pair of sacrifice flies and a UAPB (23-32, 16-14 SWAC) to push the lead to 6-3 before Robert Tate Jr. extended the lead to 7-3 with an RBI single up the middle. That was followed by a three-run home run by Melendez to push the lead to 10-3. The home run was the second of the day for Melendez, who hit a two-run home run to left in the bottom of the first.
Jackson State (26-25, 16-14 SWAC) added a run in the fourth and another in the sixth for the final margin.
Melendez finished the day 4-for-5 with five RBI and a pair of runs scored, while Hederick Torres finished 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles and a pair of RBI. Meanwhile, Edwin Lemus Hudson Jr. finished the day 2-for-4 with a pair runs scored as the Tigers picked up 13 hits.
Derek Arrocha (7-4), the first of four pitchers, picked up the win working 5.0 innings allowing six runs (five earned) before giving way to Trae Burton who went 2.0 innings and allowed just one hit. They were followed by Kade Walker (eighth inning) and Jaedeyn Edwards (ninth inning) who pitched scoreless innings.
Jackson State closed out the regular season winning 10 of its final 13 games.
How It Happened
- 1st inning (bottom) - Melendez homered to left field, 2 RBI (3-2 BBKFB); Tate scored. Torres doubled down the rf line, RBI (0-1 K); Pierre Cabral scored; Jackson State 3-0.
- 2nd inning (top) - Vinny Saumell singled up the middle, 2 RBI (1-2 KBF); Zyon Hamilton advanced to third; Konner Giddley scored; Blake Coleman scored; Jackson State 3-2.Â
- 2nd inning (bottom) - Tate reached on a fielder's choice, RBI (0-0); Tyree Reed out at third ss to 3b; Isaac McClenty scored; Jackson State 4-2.
- 3rd inning (top) - Coleman singled to center field, RBI (0-0); Aaron Grant advanced to second; Zach Wieder scored; Jackson State 4-3.
- 3rd inning (bottom) - Shemar Harris flied out to 2b, sacrifice fly, RBI (3-2 BBKFB); Payton Chace Boines advanced to second on an error by 2b; Torres advanced to third on the throw; Hudson scored. McClenty flied out to cf, sacrifice fly, RBI (0-1 K); Torres scored. Tate singled up the middle, RBI (3-2 BBBKF); Reed advanced to second; Boines scored. Melendez homered to left field, 3 RBI (0-0); Tate scored; Reed scored; Jackson State 10-3.
- 4th inning (top) - Wieder doubled to left field (1-0 B); Saumell advanced to third, scored on an error by lf, unearned. Grant singled to left field, RBI (1-1 BF); Wieder scored. Nick Hockemeyer singled to left field, RBI (2-2 KBBF); Lazaro Alvarado advanced to second; Grant scored; Jackson State 10-6.
- 4th inning (bottom) - Torres doubled, advanced to third on an error by ss, RBI (2-1 BFB); Hudson scored; Jackson State 11-6.
- 6th inning (bottom) - Hudson grounded out to 2b, RBI (3-2 BBBKF); Cabral score; Jackson State 12-6.
Up Next
Jackson State returns to action on Wednesday in the SWAC Baseball Championships in Birmingham (Ala.).
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