UAPB Baseball Defeats Grambling St. 18-8 To Close Out Conference Series

GRAMBLING, Louisiana –The Golden Lions bats got hot as, junior Edwin De La Cruz collected five hits to help lead the UAPB Golden Lions past the Grambling Tigers 18-8 on Sunday on the road at Wilbert Ellis Field.

Senior Andre Greene started on the mound and picked up the win for UAPB. The right-hander went four innings, giving up six runs, two earned, on five hits, allowing four walks and striking out three. Junior Jacob Ehling also made an impact on the mound for the Golden Lions, throwing three shutout innings while allowing three hits, with one walk and two strikeouts.

In addition to his five hits, De La Cruz had a home run and seven RBI to lead the Golden Lions. Senior Brandon Simon compiled a noteworthy effort as well, going 3-for-4 with a double, a home run, a walk and four RBI. Junior Ben Van Maanen also chipped in for UAPB, putting together two hits in five trips to the plate while adding a home run, a walk and an RBI.  Van Maanen blasted four homeruns in three games against the Tigers this weekend.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Golden Lions got the scoring started early, putting one run on the board in the top of the first inning. Junior Isaiah Cohens’ run-scoring single highlighted a two-run inning for UAPB.

The Golden Lions lost the lead they built in the first, but got back on the board in the third trailing 3-2. UAPB plated two runs off of Grambling pitching, punctuated by a run-scoring double off the bat of Simon, which brought the score to 4-3 in favor of the Golden Lions.

UAPB’s lead had evaporated once the fifth inning arrived and turned into a 6-4 Grambling advantage, when the Golden Lions re-gained control at 7-6. The Golden Lions recorded three runs in the frame, two of them coming across on a two-run single off the bat of DeLaCruz.

UAPB kept the Tigers scoreless before their offense got things moving the next inning. The Golden Lions scored seven runs in the inning, highlighted by a three-run home run off the bat of DeLaCruz, bringing the score to 14-6 in favor of UAPB.

The Golden Lions held Grambling scoreless before building on their lead to 18-6 in the ninth inning. The UAPB offense piled up four runs, highlighted by a two-run home run off the bat of Simon. Grambling put two runs on the scoreboard before the game was over, but the Golden Lions still coasted to the 18-8 win.

GAME NOTES
» De La Cruz collected five hits on the day for UAPB.
» The Golden Lions power output was led by Simon, who picked up two extra base hits in the ballgame.
» De La Cruz and Simon drove in at least four runs for UAPB.
» Every UAPB starter reached base safely in the win.
» UAPB’s highest scoring inning was the sixth, when it pushed seven runs across.
» Nine Golden Lions had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» UAPB hitters hit three homers in the ballgame.
» The Golden Lions had a total of 24 hits.
» The Golden Lions out-hit the Tigers at a 24-9 clip.
» Junior Lawrence Noble stole two bases in Sunday’s game.

The Golden Lions will be back in action on the road against Southern U., Friday, May 18, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  First pitch is set for 6 p.m. CT.