Southwestern Athletic Conference

Prairie View A&M 8, Alabama State 3

FORT WORTH - Prairie View A&M University earned the opportunity to defend last year's tournament crown after defeating Alabama State, 8-3, in the semifinals of the 2013 SWAC Baseball Tournament on Saturday at LaGrave Field.

PVAMU (27-26) will face SWAC Eastern Division champions, Jackson State, on Sunday, May 19, at LaGrave Field. The game is slated for a 2 p.m. (CT) start and will air live on ESPN3. The tape delay is scheduled for replay on ESPNU, Monday, May 20 ar 9 p.m. (CT).

Jonathan Mata (5-5) threw a complete game for the Panthers giving up two earned runs from six hits. He tallied seven strikeouts and became the third-consecutive PVAMU starter to throw a complete game in the tournament.

Mata was hitless through three complete innings, but a throwing error led to ASU (32-24) taking a 2-0 lead in the top of the fourth.

Waldyvan Estrada punched a two-run single to tally the earn runs for the Hornets. Estrada went 2-for-4 on the day.

In the bottom of the fourth and facing a 2-2 count, Dominiq Harris knocked a home run over the left field fence to score two runs. His homer was third of the tournament and his eighth of the season.

Harris finished the game batting 2-for-4 with four RBI and two runs scored.

The Hornets rebounded in the top of the fifth when Leo Rojas sent a sacrifice fly to left field to help ASU take a 3-2 advantage.

Trailing in the bottom of the seventh, the Panthers loaded the bases for cleanup Greg Salcido. Salcido was hit by a pitch to plate Colby Hines and tie the game at 3-3.

With Harris returning to the plate, he delivered on a 1-2 count, slapping a line shot left center. The hit drove in Andre Oliver and Brad Benes to help PVAMU regain the lead at 5-3.

The Panthers cushioned their lead in the eigth when Trey Price hit a single to right field to drive in Walter Wells from second base. Benes dealt the final blow with a two-RBI single for the final count.

Benes also tallied a run scored and Hines went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored.

Michael Estevez (0-1) suffered the loss for ASU in 1.2 innings on the mound. He gave up three earned runs and three hits. Starter, Anthony Ricciardi, pitched five innings with eight strikeouts.