Baseball falls to Prairie View 12-8

HOUSTON- The Texas Southern University Tiger baseball team fell to the Prairie View A&M Panthers by the score of 12-8, Saturday afternoon, at MacGregor Park.
           
The Tigers got on the board first, scoring one run apiece in the first and second innings to stake a 2-0 lead.  The Panthers quickly erased that deficit, scoring two runs in both the third and fourth innings to capture a 4-2 advantage. 
 
After a scoreless fifth frame, PVAMU erupted for seven runs in the sixth and chased TSU starting pitcher, Ryan Rios, out of the contest.  Rios pitched 5.1 innings, giving up 11 hits and 9 earned runs to go along with his 4 strikeouts.
 
TSU mounted a rally in the seventh frame, plating four runners.  The Tigers had an opportunity to do more damage in the inning but stranded runners in scoring position to end the inning down 11-6.  They manufactured two more runs in the eighth to inch closer but again stranded two runners. 
 
The Panthers added an insurance run in the top half of the ninth inning to pad their lead, 12-8.  TSU threatened with two base runners in the bottom half of the frame but were unable to plate either.
 
Tiger rightfielder, Kamren Dukes, had a big game at the plate, going 2-5 with two RBIs.  He also added a stolen base.  TSU designated hitter, Chris Scroggins, chipped in three hits and three runs while catcher, Blake Hicks, scored twice and had an RBI. 
           
The defeat drops the Tigers to 4-8 overall and is their first conference loss of the season.  TSU will look to win the series when the two teams meet again, Sunday at MacGregor Park. First pitch is set for 1:00 pm.