Texas Southern baseball and Prairie View A&M had another emotional late-inning contest as TSU grabbed the victory in walk-off fashion, 3-2, Saturday night inside Daikin Park.
Dating back to the SWAC Tournament last season, TSU defeated PVAMU 3-2 in tense fashion and this year's opener between both teams was the same thing.
The Panthers jumped ahead 1-0 in the top of the first and loaded the bases with two outs but starter Calvin McClendon escaped the jam with a groundout to third.
TSU moved ahead 2-1 in the second as Jesse Herrera III led the inning off with a hit by pitch and made it to third after a Damian Garcia walk and a groundout. A passed ball scored Garcia while Jaden Flores moved TSU ahead 2-1 after an RBI double.
TSU turned to its defense in the fourth as PVAMU recorded a one-out double and a single. The Tigers caught the Panthers in a precarious position as the runner on second and third nearly arrived on the same base which gave TSU a chance to get the go-ahead runner out at third. McClendon forced an inning-ending groundout to escape the latest Panther threat.
The Panthers drew a leadoff walk in the fifth but TSU recorded a fielder's choice for the first out. However, a wild pitch moved the runner at first into scoring position which set up an RBI single and a 2-2 tie. TSU made a pitching change after the run and reliever Leeroy Tavarez recorded a strike out and ground out to end the inning.
TSU had a shot in the fifth and sixth to score but hit into one-out double plays on both occasions.
On the mound, it was a pitching duel between Tavarez and PVAMU reliever Leonardo Bravo combined for five strikeouts as the game entered the eighth. Tavarez opened the eighth with a strikeout but PVAMU singled and the pinch runner would reach third after a stolen base and passed ball. Tavarez forced a pop up to the catcher but PVAMU forced a walk. However, the pressure didn't faze Tavarez as he ended the inning with a strikeout.
Bryce Hughes opened the bottom of the eighth with a leadoff single and a wild pitch moved him over to second. Bravo would get a strikeout and PVAMU issued an intentional walk to Herrera III. The move paid off as the Panther recorded back-to-back flyouts to end the inning.
Tavarez kept on rolling in the ninth as he struck out the first two batters followed by a fly out to right. In the bottom half, pinch hitter Evan Joubert hit a well-placed ball and reached base for a single. Joubert was moved over to second after a successful sac bunt from Carl Sullivan which forced a pitching change by the PVAMU coaching staff.
The move paid off quickly with a fly out followed by an intentional walk issued to TSU's Daylon Carleton. Hughes would hit a well-placed ball which caused trouble for the PVAMU defense as Joubert rounded third for the walk-off win.
Hughes went 2-for-4 with an RBI while Herrera III drew two walks. Tavarez earned the win in relief as he pitched 4.2 innings of action with seven strikeouts.
TSU closes out the Cactus Jack Classic with a 3 p.m. contest against Jackson State on Sunday in Dailin Park.
Source: https://tsusports.com/news/2025/2/16/baseball-wins-in-dramatic-fashion-against-prairie-view-am.aspx