THE HILL | The Alabama A&M University baseball team fought hard in Sunday's Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) doubleheader as the Bulldogs fell 12-8 in the opener and closed out the series with an 11-5 loss to the Tigers at the Bulldog Baseball Field.
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 1
Grambling State (7-11 overall, 3-0 SWAC) loaded the bases in the top of the first inning and came away with two runs to grab an early 2-0 lead, but back came Alabama A&M in the bottom of the frame as
KJ Stanfield belted a two-run homer to left, tying the game at 2.
The Tigers took advantage of an error in the top of the second and turned it into four runs, taking a 6-2 advantage.
AAMU (4-15, 0-3) closed the gap in the bottom of the inning as
Angel Rivera tripled to left center, plating
Dre Amaral, who reached on a walk.
Trey Rutledge followed a hammered a 3-2 pitch deep over the wall in left, cutting the deficit to 6-5.
Grambling State pushed across one run in the third, extending the lead to 7-5.
The Bulldogs got a two-out hit by
Isaac Castro in the fourth and Rivera scored him with a base hit up the middle as AAMU trimmed the gap to 7-6.
The Tigers added to their lead in the fifth with a pair of runs, stretching the margin to 9-6.
Alabama A&M continued to answer, scoring two runs in the bottom of the fifth.
Kylan Duncan opened the frame with an infield hit and moved to second on a wild pitch. Stanfield doubled off the wall in right center, scoring Duncan.
Miles Jackson plated Stanfield with a groundout to the third baseman in closing the deficit to 9-8.
GSU tacked on one run in the sixth, one more in the seventh and one more in the ninth for an 12-8 advantage.
GAME NOTES
- Alabama A&M finished with eight runs on 11 hits, committed two errors and left five on base
- KJ Stanfield went 3-for-5, with three RBI and two runs scored
- Angel Rivera went 3-for-4, with two RBI and one run scored
- AJ Anderson also collected two hits
- Nick Espinola (0-2) started and went three innings, surrendering seven runs (four earned) on four hits, with four walks and a pair of strikeouts
- Edgar Rodriguez, Jordan Nolley and Charles Morris pitched in relief
- Grambling State finished with 12 runs on seven hits and stranded 16 on base
- Trey Bridges and Cameron Hill each had a pair of hits
- Payton Allen gave up six runs on seven hits, with three strikeouts and one walk in four innings
- Trenton Shaw, Javier Martinez (1-1) and Ethan Bates worked in relief
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 2
Grambling State jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top half of the first inning, but Alabama A&M loaded the bases in the bottom of the frame as Rutledge, who reached on an error, scored on an RBI base hit by
Kylan Duncan as the Bulldogs pulled to within 4-1 after one inning.
The Tigers added to the advantage with one run in top of the third inning and got a solo homer by Chenar Brown to highlight a three-run fifth inning as Grambling State extended the lead to 8-1.
Alabama A&M struck for four runs in the bottom of the sxith.
Xavier O'Neal was hit by a pitch to begin the inning and advanced to second as Amaral drew a base on balls. Both moved up on stolen bases and
Christian Soto earned a walk to load the bases with one out.
Trey Rutledge followed with a single to left as O'Neal and Amaral scored. With two outs, Duncan's hit down the left field line plated Soto and after a pitching change,
KJ Stanfield earned a walk. Joseph was hit by a pitch to score Rutledge as the Bulldogs trimmed the deficit to 8-5.
Grambling State extended the lead to 11-5 with three runs in the top of the eighth.
NOTES
- Alabama A&M finished with five runs on seven hits, had one error and stranded 13 on base
- Trey Rutledge went 2-for-4, with a pair of RBI and two runs scored
- Kylan Duncan was 2-for-5 with two RBI
- Avery Seaton (0-3) took the loss, giving up eight runs (seven earned) on eight hits, with five walks and a pair of strikeouts in 4.2 innings
- Bryce Dolce and Charles Morris worked out the bullpen
- Grambling State finished with 11 runs on 14 hits, committed three errors and left 11 on base
- Randy Reyes (1-2) earned the win, surrendering one run (unearned) on three hits, fanning six and walking two in five innings
- Derrell Fletcher and Ethan Bates pitched in relief
UP NEXT
Alabama A&M continues its homestand on Tuesday as the Bulldogs play host to Oakwood. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
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