NEW ORLEANS, La. – Grambling State University shuts out Texas Southern University to advance to the SWAC baseball tournament semifinals. The Tigers (11-35) will play the winner of the Alcorn State, Texas Southern game at 6 p.m. TSU dropped to 27-17 with the loss.
Larry Barraza and Jaiden France led Grambling at the plate. The pair each earned two hits in the win. Barraza also contributed a run. TSU’s Zach Howell finished with a game-high three hits and had the only multi-hit night on the team.
The night belonged to Dion Holbrook and Grambling State’s defense. Holbrook pitched 8.2 scoreless innings, walking just three of the 34 batters faced.
Grambling State opened strong. Edwin Drexler led off with a single up the middle and stole second. He moved to third on Barraza’s single to right field. And Dylan Spearman then hit a two RBI single to left center that put the Tigers up 3-0. They would get one more across before starter Seth Oliver struck out Desmond Stegall to end the inning.
Texas Southern loaded the bases in the top of the ninth inning, ending Holbrook’s night with two outs on the board. Closer Creighton Hoover came in to keep the shutout alive and send the Tigers into the semis. Horace Leblanc fouled off three straight pitches after getting ahead in the count 2-1. Hoover then got him chasing and Leblanc swung through for the final out of the game.
Courtesy: SWAC
