SHREVEPORT---The Grambling State Tigers Baseball team punched their own tickets to the 2010 Southwestern Athletic Conference Baseball tournament finals behind a stellar performance of freshman pitcher Richard Bautista in a 7-2 victory over the Tigers of Texas Southern University.
Both teams opened in like fashion scoring a run in both first and second innings, however, Bautista who entered the game to start the third inning took the mound for Grambling and went on to scatter five hits, only one of which was for extra bases, over seven innings to eliminate the top seed from the SWAC’s western division.
Tied at two GSU broke the game open in the bottom of the fifth inning. Senior centerfielder Clifton Anthony lead off with a double to left centerfield and second baseman Milt Barney reached first after being hit by a pitch. With one out Steve Kletke drove a long single deep into left field easily scoring Clifton and Barney.
Mychal Roby would take a walk to set the table for a two RBI Jeremy Shelby triple to centerfield to cap off a four run GSU inning. Grambling would add a security run in the sixth when Clifton proved to be a one man wrecking machine. He would reach first base with a walk, steal second, advance to third on a pitchers error and score on a wild pitch.
Grambling was led by Clifton’s two-for-four plate performance with three runs scored. Bautista picked up his second win of the season as the Tigers return to the tournament finals for the first time since a 1999 meeting with Jackson State.
TSU’s Kerry White went three-for-four with a run scored, while Adrian Losoya suffered the loss on the mound giving up all eight runs in five innings of work.
Grambling advances to face the Alcorn State Braves in the championship game Sunday at 2 pm at Fair Grounds Field
Grambling’s last baseball championship came in 1985 under then head coach Wilbert Ellis.
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