NEW ORLEANS – Down 6-3 heading into the top of the ninth inning, the Alcorn State University baseball program was able to pull within 6-5 but Grambling State held on to hand the Braves (2-1) their first loss Sunday at Wesley Barrow Stadium.
Senior Der'Vincent Hamilton led off the final inning with a double to center and junior Hunter Wilson drew a five-pitch walk to force a Tigers (1-2) pitching change. After redshirt-sophomore Kyle Jenkins walked to load the bases, junior Brandon Barna grounded out to score pinch-runner Wilbert Malphus. Senior Justin Barna then hit a sacrifice fly to center to bring in senior Devin Walden, who was running for Wilson. Unfortunately, senior Nicholas Hayes-Saltare struck out swinging and Alcorn came up just short.
"Overall, I was very pleased with how we fought," said head coach Bretton Richardson. "If we continue to play this way all season, we have the makings of a pretty good team. We have to get better on the mound. That was the difference tonight."
Wilson hit 1-for-4 with a double, a walk, and a pair of RBIs. Hamilton went 2-for-4 with a double, a walk, an RBI, and a run scored. Starting pitcher George Osborne III took the loss as he surrendered five runs (four earned) on three hits and six walks through three innings.
The Braves opened the scoring in the top of the first. After singling to the GSU second baseman, senior Wallace Rios Jimenez moved to second on a groundout and to third on a wild pitch. Hamilton would then single to left to plate Rios Jimenez. GSU would respond with a three-run bottom half of the inning.
Alcorn evened the score in the top of the third as seniors A.J. Makarewicz and Kirt Cormier hit back-to-back singles. Makarewicz would get caught trying to steal third, but Hamilton got a base on balls and Wilson followed with a double to left, bringing in both runners. Grambling took back the lead 4-3 in the bottom of the third and added runs in the fourth and the seventh.
The Braves finished with the five runs on nine hits with one error, while the Tigers scored six on eight hits.
Alcorn has one day off before the team heads to Hammond, La. on Tuesday for a 6 p.m. game at Southeastern Louisiana.
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