PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas – For the second straight weekend, Texas Southern battled back from a deficit with a late-inning rally as they defeated Prairie View A&M 6-4 in Friday's opener.
TSU wasted no time in setting the tone in the first as Justin Cooper hit a one out single, stole second and reached third on a PVAMU error. Reigning SWAC Co-Hitter of the Week Oscar Ponce continued his hot streak as he drove in Cooper with an RBI single for a 1-0 lead. Two innings later, Avery Chatman led the third off with a single and moved over following Tyrese Clayborne's sac bunt. Two batters later with two outs, Ponce once again came up big with another RBI single to score Chatman for the 2-0 lead.
TSU starter Kam Field was cruising and ready to get out the fourth unscathed with two outs and four strikeouts to his tally thus far. However, PVAMU would hit a single followed by back-to-back doubles to lead 3-2. A stolen base and walk led to another RBI single and a 4-2 deficit before an inning-ending flyout.
TSU had its chances over the next few innings and came up big in the sixth with two outs. Tyson Thompson reached base on a PVAMU error and Avery Chatman singled. Clayborne drove in Thompson with an RBI single for a 4-3 deficit.
Fields kept PVAMU at bay defensively and the offense returned to the scoreboard as Thompson opened the eighth inning with a leadoff triple followed by Rueben Bennevendo's RBI single to tie the contest at 4-4 as the single also chased out PVAMU starter Kyle Smith. However, the inning came to disappointing end as PVAMU recorded a pick off followed by a groundout and fly out to center. PVAMU opened the eighth with a leadoff single and the go-ahead runner moved into scoring position after a sac bunt. However, the runner would remain at second as Fields forced a flyout and foul out to end the inning.
Once again, the Tigers used late inning theatrics as Cooper singled to open the inning and made his way to third after a PVAMU error which also forced a pitching change. Ponce drove in Cooper for his third RBI of the game and the go-ahead run as TSU led 5-4. Dean Salazar entered as a pinch hitter and recorded a single. Nic Garza followed with a single to load the bases which set up Jordan Vidato's sac fly to center for the 6-4 lead.
Fields struck out the leadoff batter in the bottom of the ninth and set up a 1-2-3 inning for the team's first road win of 2021.
Ponce finished 3-for-5 with three RBI and a run scored while Cooper was 2-for-4 with two runs. Clayborne, Garza, Thompson and Chatman also had two hits apiece. Fields struck out nine in a complete game performance.
The series resumes Saturday with a 2 p.m. first pitch at Prairie View A&M.
