This one had everything—momentum swings, big innings, and a knockout punch when it mattered most.
In a back-and-forth elimination game that refused to settle down, Arkansas-Pine Bluff delivered the final blow, erupting late to take down Bethune-Cookman 13-8 and stay alive in the SWAC Baseball Tournament on Saturday.
The Golden Lions matched every Wildcats surge before breaking the game wide open with a seven-run eighth inning, turning a tight contest into a runaway and ending Bethune-Cookman’s season for good.
Now, UAPB turns its attention to a 3 p.m. semifinal rematch with Alabama State, needing two straight wins to reach the championship against either Florida A&M or Southern.
From the jump, the Golden Lions set the tone.
Zach Wieder sparked things with a leadoff single, Aaron Grant followed, and before Bethune-Cookman could settle in, the bases were loaded. Nick Hockemeyer drew a walk to bring in the game’s first run, giving UAPB an early edge and a clear message: they came ready to swing.
Even when Bethune-Cookman surged ahead—using a big sixth inning to build an 8-3 lead—UAPB never blinked.
Instead, they chipped away.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff never stopped battling
In the seventh, Jose Vasquez’s hustle and awareness put him in scoring position, and the lineup did the rest. Grant and Lazaro Alvarado delivered back-to-back doubles, trimming the deficit to just two runs and setting the stage for what came next.
View this post on Instagram
Then came the eighth inning. And everything changed.
It started simply enough—Vinny Saumell with a single, Konner Giddley with a double. Then Vasquez ripped a two-run double down the line to tie it at 8-8. Just like that, a new game.
Moments later, Weston Gingerich gave UAPB the lead. Wieder kept the pressure on. The bases loaded. Two outs.
Golden Lions bats were relentless
And then the floodgates burst.
Zyon Hamilton came through with a clutch two-run single, aided by a defensive miscue, and Saumell slammed the door with a two-RBI knock that capped a seven-run avalanche. Dugout? Electric. Momentum? Gone—for Bethune-Cookman.
Ballgame.
Saumell led the charge with a 3-for-5 day and timely hitting. Grant matched the energy with three hits of his own, while Hamilton and Vasquez delivered the biggest blows when it mattered most. And Giddley handled the small details that kept rallies alive.
Now the Golden Lions are alive—and dangerous.
