NEW ORLEANS, La. | Tervell Johnson belted two home runs and drove in four as the Alabama A&M University baseball team used a six-run eighth inning and held off a late rally to pick up a 10-8 victory over New Orleans on Friday to open play at the Maestri Classic.
Alabama A&M (1-4) jumped out to an early 4-1 lead in the second inning after a solo shot to left by Johnson, but New Orleans (1-4) answered in the bottom half of the frame with four runs, including a two-run shot by Dylan Biddick, to grab a 4-1 advantage.
The Bulldogs answered in the sixth.
With two outs,
Zamar Lewis launched a two-run home run to pull AAMU within one.
Wilmer Cuevas followed with an RBI single, tying the game at 4-4 and swinging momentum back to the Maroon and White.
After the Privateers briefly regained the lead in the seventh on a solo home run from Karson Evans, Alabama A&M delivered the decisive blow in the eighth inning.
Johnson opened the frame with his second home run of the game, knotting the score at 5-5. The Bulldogs continued to apply pressure, capitalizing on walks and timely hits.
Keilon Parnell ripped a bases-clearing double, driving in three runs to give AAMU its first lead of the afternoon. Lewis later added an RBI to cap the six-run outburst and push the advantage to 10-5.
New Orleans threatened in the ninth, scoring three runs to close within 10-8, but
Antonio Torres came on to record the final two outs and earn his first save of the season.
Evan Hurlburt (1-0) picked up the win in relief, tossing 1.2 scoreless innings with two strikeouts.
Johnson finished 2-for-4 with two home runs and four RBIs to lead the offense. Lewis added two hits, including a homer, and drove in two runs, while Parnell collected three RBIs. Cuevas added two hits as the Bulldogs totaled nine hits on the afternoon.
UP NEXT
Alabama A&M continues play in the Maestri Classic on Saturday against ULM. First pitch against the Warhawks at Maestri Field is scheduled for 11 a.m.
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