Grambling, Texas Southern to meet for SWAC baseball title
NEW ORLEANS – Grambling bounced back from an earlier loss to defeat Alabama State 5-1 Saturday night at the MLB Urban Youth Academy at Wesley Barrow Stadium and advance to the championship game of the SWAC baseball championship.
It will be a battle of Tigers and West Division rivals in the final as Grambling faces defending tournament champion Texas Southern in Sunday’s 2 p.m. title game, which will be televised by ESPNEWS.
Grambling went into Saturday with two chances to win one game to advance to the championship. It would need the second chance after Alabama State defeated the Tigers 5-1 to force the “if necessary” game in their bracket.
Anthony Hernandez scattered eight hits over eight innings and Isaiah Torres and Rafael Ramirez each homered to lift Grambling into the title game.
Grambling and Texas Southern split six meetings this season, each winning two of three games at home.
Since winning three consecutive SWAC titles from 1983-85, Grambling has only won one conference baseball championship, in 2010.
| Wednesday’s Games | ||
| Game # | Matchup | Time/Notes |
| 1 | (2E) Jackson State 13, (3W) Arkansas Pine Bluff 3 | |
| 2 | (2W) Grambling State 14, (3E) Mississippi Valley State 5 | |
| 3 | (1W) Texas Southern 10, (4E) Alcorn State 3 | |
| 4 | (1E) Alabama State 7, (4W) Prairie View A&M 2 | |
| Thursday’s Games | ||
| 5 | Alcorn State 14, Arkansas Pine Bluff 13 | UAPB eliminated |
| 6 | Prairie View A&M 13, Mississippi Valley State 1 | MVSU eliminated |
| 7 | Texas Southern 8, Jackson State 4 | |
| 8 | Grambling State 12, Alabama State 7 | |
| Friday’s Games | ||
| 9 | Jackson State 4, Alcorn State 3 | ALCN eliminated |
| 10 | Prairie View A&M vs. Alabama State | susp., rain (bottom 8th) |
| Saturday’s Games | ||
| 10 | Alabama State 4, Prairie View A&M 2 | PVAMU eliminated |
| 11 | Texas Southern 10, Jackson State 9, 10 innings | JKST eliminated |
| 12 | Alabama State 5, Grambling State 1 | |
| 12a | Grambling State 5, Alabama State 1 | ALST eliminated |
| Sunday’s Game – Championship | ||
| 13 | Texas Southern (24-26) vs. Grambling State (23-25) | 2 p.m. (ESPNEWS) |
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CCS Staff
