MADISON, Ala. – Seven runs over the first three innings were too much for a late rally to overcome as No. 3E Alabama A&M (9-20, 9-13 SWAC) closed out the 2021 campaign with a 12-7 loss to Texas Southern (12-34, 10-13 SWAC) in the second round of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Tournament and an NCAA Division I baseball game on Thursday, May 20.
 
TSU would waste no time with a leadoff walk followed by a double by Tyrese Clayborne to put runners on second and third with no one out in the top of the first inning. Oscar Ponce then lifted a sacrifice fly to left field for a 1-0 lead before Nic Garza singled up the middle to double that advantage. He would advance to second on a wild pitch and the Tigers would put another man on with a hit by pitch before back-to-back outs ended any further threat.
 
It would pick right back up in the top of the second, however, as Texas Southern delivered four hits, including doubles by Justin Cooper and Ponce, to tack on four more and extend to a 6-0 lead. The Bulldogs would benefit from a two-base error to open the home half of the frame and a pair of groundouts then got them on the board as sophomore catcher Dillon Roop (New Market, Ala.) came around to score.
 
The Tigers would get that run back in the third, however, as Jordan Vidato doubled and scored on a single to left by Michael Goudeau. He was then thrown out and A&M retired two of the next three batters to prevent any further damage.
 
That effort would pay off as they notched back-to-back singles to lead off the inning and both runners moved up on a wild pitch to make it second and third with no outs. Both would then cross home plate when freshman third baseman Jalen Ford (Birmingham, Ala.) singled down the right field line to cut the deficit to 7-3.
 
It would be as close as they would get in the frame, though, as Ford was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double, a fielder's choice took out freshman outfielder Janmikell Bastardo (Fort Myers, Fla.) following a single and the Tigers got out of the inning with a groundout. They would then add an eighth run on a fielding error to extend to a five-run margin.
 
TSU would then blow it open in the top of the sixth with four runs on four hits, highlighted by doubles by Ponce and Vidato, to make it 12-3. As devastating a blow as that was, Alabama A&M came right back in their half of the inning, doing so in an unusual way.
 
What would be a four-run rally started with a one-out walk and hit by pitch before a fielder's choice put a second out on the board but advanced runners to second and third. Sophomore shortstop Trevor Berkemeyer (North Las Vegas, Nev.) then walked to load the bases and Ford followed him with a free pass for an RBI.
 
Bastardo then laced the lone hit of the inning, a two-run single to center, to slice it to a six-run margin and junior outfielder Teddy Bridges (Montgomery, Ala.) brought home another when he reached on a fielding error, cutting it to 12-7. A groundout then squelched the opportunity to pull any closer.
 
And while it would be as close as they would get the rest of the way it would not be without bringing the tying run to the on-deck circle in the bottom of the ninth.
 
They would manage that despite a double play as freshman right fielder Carlos Mas (Bayamon, Puerto Rico) was hit by a pitch, designated hitter Brock Mitchell (Brownsboro, Ala.) reached on a throwing error and freshman catcher Dylan Hall (Elkmont, Ala.) singled to right. The hopes of a comeback would be dashed on the next batter, however, as TSU induced a groundout to second to escape with a 12-7 victory.
 
Ford led the way for the Bulldogs with a 1-for-3 that that saw him drive home three runs, score one himself, walk and swipe a bag while Bastardo went 3-for-5 with a pair of RBIs. Berkemeyer was 2-for-4 with a pair of runs and Hall rounded out the offense with a 2-for-3 day that included a run.
 
Junior pitcher Peyton Baker (Acworth, Ga.) went an inning, allowing three runs to suffer the loss and drop to 2-5 on the season. Sophomore Logan Smith (Greentown, Ind.) threw four scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and struck out three for the Bulldogs best effort on the mound.
 
Garza would go 4-for-6 with a run and was one of four Tigers with two RBIs and was joined by Ponce in that club with his 2-for-4 day that saw him score three runs. Vidato and Goudeau were the other two run producers and Cooper, Juan Sanchez and Tyrese Clayborne each added one RBI. Clayborne did it one better as he made a sterling play in right, grabbing a ball before tumbling over the short wall.
 
On the mound, Brian Williams would get the decision to improve to 2-6 following 5.1 innings that saw him scatter six hits, strike out three and surrender just two earned runs, three total.
 
A&M closes out a 2021 season that saw them equal the program's NCAA Division I Era win streak with seven straight and returned to the SWAC Tournament for the first time since 2017.