Southwestern Athletic Conference

NEW ORLEANS - Alcorn State defeated Grambling State, 8-7, in a back-and-fourth affair on Wednesday in the SWAC Baseball Tournament at Wesley Barrow Stadium. Alcorn State improves to 16-34 while Grambling State moves to 22-25 on the year.

Alcorn State scored in the first inning when Collin Carrol reached on a fielder’s choice to score Wallace Rios. The Braves added three more runs in the third. Cedric Bell tallied an infield single to score Jason Sanez, before Carroll drew a bases loaded walk to push Rios home. Cedric Walker scored on Walter Vives’ single through the left side of the field.

Grambling State answered with a run in the bottom of the frame when Alexander Felder scored on Tray Bell’s sacrifice fly to right field. GSU added two more runs in the fourth, cutting the lead to one, 4-3. Johan Mojica hit a solo blast to right field while Malcom Boyce crossed the plate on a balk by Alcorn State starter Jaborous Smith.

In the fifth after back-to-back walks and a single, Mojica reached after getting hit to force in the tying run for Grambling State.

Alcorn State came back in the seventh to score two runs on Vives’ RBI-double to right center. Der’Vincent Hamilton followed with a two-run home run to left field to push the Braves lead to 8-4.

Grambling State got a run back in the bottom of the seventh on Mojica’s RBI ground out, making the score 8-5.

In the bottom of the eighth Grambling State picked up two runs to get within a run, 8-7. The Tigers picked up a run on back-to-back wild pitches for Felder to score. Larry Barraza singled in Daniel Barnett.

Alcorn State reliever Conrado Skepple (3-5) scattered four runs on five hits, walked three and struck out two in 3.1 innings pitched to collect the win. Reggie Johnson (1) collected the save after allowing one hit, a walk and a strike out in 1.2 innings.