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PINE BLUFF, Ark. – Prairie View A&M opened SWAC play with a doubleheader split on the road at Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Saturday. The Panthers won the opener 5-4 before dropping a 3-0 decision in game two.
Jonathan Mata struck out nine batters while Dominiq Harris finished 3-for-5 with four RBIs as the Panthers claimed a 5-4 win in the opener.
The Panthers wasted no time in getting on the board with a three-run first highlighted by Harris' three-run homer. UAPB crossed home a run in the bottom of the second on a balk as the score remained 3-1 until the sixth. In the sixth, Grant Dougherty hit a one out triple to left field and scored the team's fourth run on Colby Hines' sacrifice fly. UAPB answered with a run in the sixth for the 4-2 deficit but the Panthers picked up a much-needed insurance run in the ninth on Harris' two-out RBI single which scored Robert Cossey.
The Panthers were rolling in the bottom of the ninth with two quick outs but reliever Jordan Stewart ran into trouble as he issued a walk and allowed a single up the middle. UAPB's Joshua Cassidy cut the margin to 5-4 with a two-run double but Stewart regrouped and forced the game-ending strikeout for his first save of 2014.
Mata allowed only five hits with nine strikeouts as he picked up his first win of 2014. Harris led the 10-hit attack with three hits and four RBIs followed by two hits each from Cossey and Dougherty.
A three-run sixth proved to be the difference as the Golden Lions claimed a 3-0 win in the nightcap.
Game two turned into a pitcher's duel as PVAMU's A. J. Helms and UAPB's Miley Ramirez dominated the mound through the first six innings. In the bottom of the sixth, UAPB led off with a triple and scored on a RBI single. A passed ball allowed the second run to score followed by a sacrifice fly to right field for the 3-0 lead.
The Panthers' best chance for a scoring opportunity occurred in the seventh as Walter Wells reached third but the inning come to an end with a strikeout. Prairie View A&M was retired in order over the final two innings as no runner would reach base.
Prairie View A&M outhit UAPB 6-5 but struggled at the plate with 10 strikeouts. Helms finished with four strikeouts while allowing four hits and three runs.
The series wraps up on Sunday as the rubber match will begin at 1 p.m.
