MADISON, Ala.- A three-run seventh and eighth inning propelled second-seeded Grambling State to a 8-2 victory over third-seeded Alabama A&M Wednesday morning in a first-round SWAC Championship matchup at Toyota Field. 

Wit the win, the Tigers improve to 16-25 on the season, while the Bulldogs fell to 9-19 on the year.

Cameron Bufford got Grambling on the scoreboard to open the bottom of the first inning as he smacked his 11th home run of the season, a left field solo blast to put the Tigers up, 1-0. 

The lead didn't last long, however, as Baker evened the score in the third, scoring on a muffed throw by the catcher to get the Bulldogs on the board. Jason Alvarez answered back strong by striking out the next batter in the frame to retire the inning. 

The Tigers regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning on an RBI single from Caleb Clines plating pinch runner Terry Tolliver, Jr. 

Grambling produced three more runs in the bottom of seventh inning. Bufford was relentless at the plate starting the inning of with a single to center field. The offensive juggernaut Jahmoi percival walloped a single to right field. The designated hitter Keylon Mack reached on an error prior to a two-RBI single up the middle from Joseph Gunn. Jeremy Almaguer hit an RBI single to right field to extend the lead to 5-1. 

The Tigers put an exclamation point on the game pouring in three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. The All-SWAC second team honoree Bufford delivered a towering two-run home run to deep left field. For Bufford, it was his 12th round tripper of the season, making him the leader of the SWAC. The All-SWAC first team honoree Percival crushed a double to right field followed by an RBI single up the middle by Keylon Mack to secure the win 8-1 for Grambling Wednesday morning at Toyota Field in Madison, Alabama. 

About the SWAC
The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is considered one of the premier HBCU conferences in the country and currently ranks among the elite in the nation in terms of HBCU alumni playing with professional sports teams.
 
Current championship competition offered by the league includes competition for men in Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field and Tennis.
 
Women’s competition is offered in the sports of Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field, Soccer, Softball, Tennis and Volleyball.

Follow the SWAC
For complete coverage of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, please follow the SWAC on social media at @TheSWAC (Twitter), @TheSWAC (Facebook), and @TheSWAC (Instagram) or visit the official home of the Southwestern Athletic Conference at www.swac.org.