HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - Alabama A&M (0-2, 0-0 SWAC) rallied to load the bases in the ninth against Milwaukee (2-0, 0-0 Horizon) before falling by a narrow 8-7 score in an NCAA Division I baseball game on Saturday, February 19.
 
Following a pair of scoreless innings, it would be the Bulldogs that would get on the board in the third as graduate outfielder Tim Dixon (Debary, Florida) ripped an RBI double and then came around to score on a single by junior outfielder Jaren  Tribett (Lumberton, Miss.) to take the 2-0 lead.
 
AAMU would then add to their advantage the following inning as graduate outfielder Damian Thomas tripled home freshman second baseman Jalen Ford (Birmingham, Ala.) to make it a three-run advantage. The Panthers then chalked up their first run of the afternoon as Jake Novak homered to right to close the gap to 3-1 by the end of the fifth.

UMW would then change the course of the game in the sixth inning as they plated six runs on as many hits, including a two-run homerun from Quinton Morris and a two RBI single by Tommy Benson to flip the switch and take the lead 7-3. Neither team would push across a run in the seventh, something that would change in the eight as  the Bulldogs responded with a pair of runs to cut it to 7-6 before Novak led off the ninth with a long ball to right to make it a two-run margin.
 
Despite that, A&M would rally in the home half of the inning as they loaded the bases with two outs on two walks and a hit batter. Freshman outfielder Janmikell Bastardo (Fort Myers, Fla.) then pinch hit and drew a walk of his own to bring home a run before a lined shot up the middle just missed going through and sealed the 8-7 decision.
 
Novak led the Panthers with 3-of-3 day that featured a pair of home runs, three RBIs and two runs while Benson and Morris each drove home two runs, the latter by way of the long ball. Chapman would go 2-for-5 with a run to round out the top offensive performances.

Ryan Hoerter picked up the win with 2.1 innings of relief to move to 1-0 and Elliot Turnquist notched his first save. Jack Mahoney started and went 4.2, striking out six and allowing three earned runs.
 
Dixon led the Bulldogs with a pair of doubles, a run and an RBI and Bridges was 2-for-4 with a walk and pair of runs. Thomas added an RBI triple and Chandler Stocking was 2-for-6 with two RBIs.

The Bulldogs are back in action tomorrow, Sunday, February 20 as they wrap up their series against Milwaukee, with first pitch scheduled for 11 a.m. at Bulldog Field.