UAPB Edges Alcorn in 8-7 Comeback Win

Arkansas-Pine Bluff scored a walk-off run in the bottom of the eighth inning to beat Alcorn State 8-7 on Friday in the opening game of a Southwestern Athletic Conference series at Torii Hunter Baseball Complex in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.

Blake Coleman tripled and scored the winning run on a bunt single by Joe Adams. UAPB (11-17, 5-2 SWAC) survived a six-run fifth inning by Alcorn (7-20, 1-6 SWAC), which briefly took the lead with a six-run rally. Coleman finished 2-for-2 with three RBIs, a triple, a stolen base and three walks. Zyon Hamilton went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI for the Golden Lions. Aaron Grant added a 2-for-5 effort with an RBI at shortstop.

Alcorn trailed 6-1 entering the fifth but responded with a six-run inning, highlighted by Julian Jarrett’s two-run double that scored two others and gave the Braves a 7-6 lead. Jaylyn Bennett went 3-for-5 with an RBI, and Kanious Davis scored twice for Alcorn.

UAPB answered in the seventh when Hamilton doubled home Ian Smith to tie the game at 7-7. The Golden Lions then took the lead in the eighth when Coleman tripled and scored on Adams’s sacrifice bunt, which rolled toward the mound.

Reagan James earned the win in relief, improving to 3-2 after allowing four earned runs on six hits over five innings. Hayden Konkler took the loss for Alcorn, dropping to 1-1 after surrendering the decisive run in 0.2 innings. Alcorn starter Devin Kriley pitched 3.2 innings, giving up six runs (one earned) with seven walks and two strikeouts. José Cherena relieved Kriley, allowing two runs on six hits over 3.2 innings.

The game featured eight walks issued by UAPB, including four in a five-run fourth inning. The teams meet again Saturday at 2 p.m. at the same complex to complete the series.

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