ITTA BENA, Miss. – Alabama A&M (3-11, 1-0 SWAC) delivered a 6-5 decision at Mississippi Valley State (4-6-1, 0-1 SWAC) on Saturday, March 19 in an NCAA Division I baseball game.
Following a scoreless first inning, the Bulldogs would waste no time getting on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second as graduate left fielder
Nemo Wright (PG County, Md.) singled up the middle to allow a 1-0 lead. The score would remain that way until the bottom of the fourth before MVSU responded with a run each from Jan Tolentino and Chris Soeder to flip the switch and take the lead, 2-1.
The score would remain that way until the top of the sixth when AAMU responded with junior defensive hitter
Teddy Bridges (Montgomery, Ala.) reaching on an error and graduate right fielder
Tim Dixon (Debary, Fla.) scored to tie the game 2-2. The Delta Devils would then answer as Ty Washington scored before Angel Perez singled to second base to bring home Tolentino for a 4-2 advantage.
The Bulldogs would then respond in the top of the seventh as Dixon scored to cut the deficit to 4-3 before MVSU answered as Tolentino singled to right center to bring home Dreylin Holmes to extend the lead to 5-3.
AAMU would then answer in the top of eight as first baseman
Trevor Berkemeyer (North Las Vegas, Nev.) scored to cut the lead to 5-4 before the Bulldogs would capitalize in top of the ninth as Dixon singled through the left side to allow freshman pinch hitter
Brycen Hammonds (Madison, Ala.) to score.The Bulldogs would then secure the win as Berkemeyer singled to left field to bring home Dixon to close out the 6-5 decision.
Perez led MVSU with a 3-for-4 day and two RBIs while Tolentintio went 2-for-5 with an RBI and a pair of runs scored. Soeder was 1-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored. Calvin McClendon threw seven innings, striking out three while Antonio Walker threw 1.2 innings, striking out two and only allowing two runs to fall 0-1.
Dixon led the Bulldogs with a 3-for-3 day, with two RBIs and a pair of runs scored while Berkemeyer was 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Wright went 1-for-4 with an RBI. Junior pitcher Jose figueroa (Toa Alto, Puerto Rico) threw three innings, striking out five and only allowing one run to move to 2-0.
The Bulldogs will be back in action tomorrow, Sunday, March 20 to finish the three game-series at MVSU with the first game slated to start at 12 noon.
