Grambling State dominates Southern, 19-4
GRAMBLING, La. | The Grambling State University baseball team showcased its offensive firepower, pounding 18 hits in a 19-4 rout of Southern in eight innings at Lee-Hines Field on Thursday afternoon.
GSU (21-25 overall, 18-8 SWAC) was relentless in the win, scoring runs in seven of the eight innings played.
Ashton Inman drove in five runs, going 2-for-5 with a home run. GSU’s leading hitter, Kyle Walker, was also hot at the plate, going 3-for-4 with four RBI, a double and a homer. Trey Burrell and Julian Murphy also came up big for Tigers with Burrell going 2-for-3 with a double and three RBI, while Murphy was 3-for-4 with a double and three RBI as well.
Mason Martinez (10-2) grabbed his SWAC-leading 10th win of the season after surrendering four runs on eight hits. He struck out two batters and walked three in 8.0 innings of work.
HOW IT HAPPENED
– Ashton Inman gave Grambling State a 2-0 lead in the top of the first when he smashed a 2-run homer to right field.
– After Southern (22-27, 15-12 SWAC) tied the game in the bottom of the first inning, Inman drove in two more GSU runs in the top of the second on a 2-RBI single, giving the Tigers a 4-2 advantage.
– In the top of the third, Trey Burrell hit a 2-RBI double. Burrell ended up coming around to score on the play thanks to a throwing error by Southern’s left fielder, growing GSU’s lead to 7-2.
– The Jaguars added two runs in the bottom of the fourth, trimming GSU’s lead to 7-4.
– Grambling State put its foot on the gas from that point forward, scoring 12 unanswered runs the rest of the way.
– With the Tigers ahead 10-4 in the seventh inning, Walker hit his 10th home run of the year, a 2-run shot to left field.
– GSU closed the scoring in the top of the eighth when Murphy’s 2-RBI double made it 19-4 in favor of the Tigers, putting a bow on a seven-run frame.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
– Grambling State scored 19 runs on 18 hits. The Tigers left eight runners on base and committed one error.
– Southern scored four runs on eight hits. The Jaguars stranded four runners and committed three errors.
– Grambling State stole six bases.
– Ranard Grace was tagged with the loss for SU, giving up seven runs on 10 hits.
UP NEXT
Due to inclement weather, game two of Grambling State’s series with Southern has been postponed. A makeup date is to be determined.