Missed Opportunities Haunt Tigers In Loss To UAPB

Arkansas-Pine Bluff rode the strength of four home runs and 17 hits as they defeated TSU 15-5 in game two of the series on Saturday at MacGregor Park.
 
UAPB moved ahead 1-0 in the first on a double but TSU tied it in the bottom half as Jeremy Gaines hit an RBI to score Justin Cooper.
 
The Golden Lions' Lawrence Noble hit a solo homer for a 2-1 lead in the second and TSU had a chance to answer but the runner was thrown out on a failed suicide squeeze in the third. TSU moved ahead 3-2 in the fourth as Michael Goudeau's RBI double scored CJ Castillo for a 3-2 margin.
 
UAPB's Conner James hit a two-run, two-out homer in the fifth to help UAPB regain a 5-3 lead followed by Edwin DeLaCruz's RBI single off reliever Alex Olguin. The Tigers would answer with a run in the fifth as Justin Cooper's sac fly scored Johnathon Thomas for the 6-4 deficit.
 
TSU had a shot to create major damage in the sixth as they loaded the bases with no outs. Unfortunately, they couldn't capitalize with three straight outs by UAPB starter Damon Elarton. The missed opportunities came back to haunt TSU in the seventh as UAPB crossed home five runs to lead 11-4. TSU scored once in the seventh but UAPB added four more in the eighth to put the game out of reach.
 
Goudeau and Tyrese Clayborne both had two hits with Goudeau having an RBI. Josiah Castro fell to 2-3 on the season as he lasted 4.2 innings with two strikeout.
 
The series concludes at 1 p.m. on Sunday at MacGregor Park.