GAME TWO BOX SCORE

Prairie View A&M split its home opener on Saturday with a pair of one-run performances against Texas College as they won 3-2 in the opener before dropping a 7-6 decision at the Panther Baseball Field.

Junior pitcher Michael Listi recorded an 11-strikeout, two-hit performance while Kyle Bible hit a two-run homer as Prairie View A&M held off a ninth-inning rally by Texas College to claim a 3-2 win in the opener.

Saturday's opener was a pitcher's duel as both Listi and TC's Chris Blackmon quieted both offenses with a combined 19 strikeouts. However, the Panther offense got the best of Blackmon in the seventh as Sal Hernandez singled to begin the inning. The Panthers went to small ball after Hernandez's single as James Fontenot moved Hernandez over via a sacrifice which set up Darryl Johnson's RBI double to center for a 1-0 margin. In the eighth, Prairie View's James Rodriguez hit a leadoff double and advanced to third following Rafael Perez's sacrifice. Two batters later, Bible gave the Panthers some much-needed breathing room as the senior blasted a shot over the left field wall for a 3-0 lead.

With a three-run lead, things began to unravel for the Panthers in the top of the ninth as back-to-back errors by the Panther defense allowed Texas College to get back into the game. An RBI single by George Rose cut TC's deficit to 3-1 with no outs. Despite the early setback, Prairie View A&M junior closer Daniel Castillo regrouped with a strike out and flyout en route to two quick outs. However, Texas College wouldn't go away without drama as TC's Jeremy Bueno singled home a run for a 3-2 margin. During the play, Texas College attempted to tie the game by sending Rose home but PV made the defensive play of the afternoon as Rose was thrown out at the plate by Perez from left field to end the game.

Rodriguez led Prairie View at the plate with a 3-for-4 performance and one run. Sal Hernandez went 2-for-3 with a run scored while Bible posted two RBIs. Listi improved to 2-0 on the season while Castillo notched his first save.

Game two was similar to game one with the exception of the outcome as Texas College thwarted a ninth-inning rally by PV for a 7-6 win.

Texas College took control early as they jumped out to a 4-0 lead entering the bottom of the fourth. PV finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom frame as James Fontenot and Colby Hines recorded consecutive RBI singles for a 4-2 deficit. Prairie View climbed to within 4-3 in the fifth on a Perez RBI single but fell behind 5-3 in the top of the sixth as the Steers crossed home a run via a Panther balk.

A Steer error in the sixth allowed Prairie View to trim its deficit to 5-4. However, the Panthers struggled to get over the hump as Texas College scored twice in the eighth to claim a 7-4 advantage. Prairie View made things interesting in the bottom of the ninth as Giovanni Angel and Rodriguez had a pair of one-out RBI singles to close within 7-6. Texas College made a pitching change after Rodriguez's RBI and narrowly avoided a bases-loaded scenario as Bible was ruled out on a close play at first. Hernandez flied out to center on the ensuing play as the Steers managed the split.

Angel finished 2-for-4 with a run while Perez went 2-for-5 with two RBIs. Hines also added two RBIs for the Panthers. Senior Ben Blackburn dropped his first contest of the year as he struck out four in four innings of action.

The Panthers close out the series on Sunday with a 1 p.m. rubber match in Prairie View.