Southwestern Athletic Conference

NEW ORLEANS – Southern bounced Grambling State the SWAC Baseball Tournament with a 6-3 victory on Thursday at Wesley Barrow Stadium. Southern moves to 13-31 on the year while Grambling State completes the season with a 22-27 record.

Southern advances to face the loser of the Alcorn State and Alabama State contest on Friday at noon.

Southern jumped on the board in the first inning, taking a quick three-run lead. Anthony Valdes was hit by a pitch which forced in Robinson Mateo from third. D’Andre Willams followed with a two-RBI single through the left side of the infield.

The Jaguars picked up a run in the second when Dondrayas Harris was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

Grambling State jumped on the board in the in the third when Alexander Felder picked up Nick Wheeler from third with a RBI single to through the right side. Malcom Boyce then scored on Daniel Barnett’s sacrifice fly before Felder was doubled off first base.

Wesley Drain hit a double to right center field and advanced to third on a fielding error in the top of the fifth for the Tigers. He then came around to score on Felder’s single up the middle to get within one, 4-3.

In the bottom of the seventh, Troy Lewis hit a two-run double to push Southern’s lead to 6-3.

Southern’s Daniel Franklin (4-3) collected the victory in an 8.1 inning effort. Franklin scattered three runs (two runs) on seven hits, struck out four and walked three. Troy Lewis (3) picked up the save, striking out one in two-thirds of an inning.

Grambling State hurler Issac O’Bear (7-3) shouldered the loss, giving up six runs on 10 hits, struck out four and walked two in 6.1 innings pitched.