A sudden rain delay in the bottom of the ninth inning couldn’t hold off a stunning SWAC baseball tournament upset.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff — the last team to qualify in the eight-team field — held on for a stunning 6–4 win over SWAC regular season champion Bethune-Cookman at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama.
Wildcats right-hander Jalen Porter recorded the final two nerve-wracking outs to secure the statement win.
Before the 90-minute weather interruption, the Golden Lions had built their advantage early and spent the rest of the game fending off a Wildcats comeback attempt.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff wasted no time jumping ahead in the first inning, beginning with an RBI single from SWAC Freshman of the Year Aaron Grant.
Blake Coleman followed with another run-scoring single, and Nick Hockemeyer added a sacrifice fly to cap a three-run opening frame off SWAC Pitcher of the Year Edwin Sanchez. The B-CU ace allowed five runs in just three innings of work in a surprising result.
View this post on Instagram
The Golden Lions extended their lead in the second inning when Weston Gingerich lifted a sacrifice fly to left field, bringing home Konner Giddley for a 4–0 advantage.
UAPB added what proved to be a key insurance run in the fourth, as Giddley delivered an RBI single up the middle to score Zyon Hamilton and make it 5–0.
Bethune-Cookman mounted its comeback in the fifth inning. Sergio Rivera put the Wildcats on the board with a bunt single that scored Jeter Polledo. Shortly after, Andrey Martinez delivered a three-run home run to left field to cut the deficit to 5–4.
View this post on Instagram
From there, the tension only built. Bethune-Cookman threatened down the stretch, and just as the Wildcats looked to mount one final push in the bottom of the ninth.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff regrouped and closed out the narrow victory, leaning on the cushion built in the early innings.
Golden Lions starter Kenney Fabian was the unsung hero of the night, allowing just four earned runs over seven strong innings.
Bethune-Cookman, the defending conference champions, head to the elimination bracket and will face Grambling State on Thursday.
UAPB moves on to play Alabama State in the next round.
