Jackson State’s baseball team lost a 4-3 thriller to Southern in the first round of the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament at Rickwood Field on Wednesday night. The Tigers, seeded seventh, led most of the game but fell in 10 innings.
Jackson State was ahead 2-0 after the second inning, thanks to a double from Payton Chace Boines and an RBI single by Isaac McClenty. Southern responded with a run in the bottom of the second and tied the game in the eighth inning on a home run by Ryan Hunter.
In the 10th inning, Edwin Lemus Hudson Jr. was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, driving in a run to give Jackson State a 3-2 lead. However, Southern scored twice in the bottom half to win 4-3. Beny Bikar Jr. doubled home a run for the Jaguars, and Jaylon Lucky reached on a fielder’s choice, scoring the winning run.
Jackson State’s Jayden Lopez pitched 6.1 innings, allowing one run on one hit with seven strikeouts. Reliever Jaedeyn Edwards pitched 2.2 innings, giving up two runs. Derek Arrocha took the loss, falling to 7-5.
The Tigers will face Texas Southern in an elimination game Thursday at 9 a.m. at Rickwood Field.
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