NEW ORLEANS, La. – The Prairie View A&M Panthers ended their weekend in New Orleans on a winning note Sunday, defeating Southwestern Athletic Conference rival Grambling 4-3 at the Major League Baseball Urban Invitational.
 
At Wesley Barrow Stadium, sophomore Darrien Williams (pictured) struck out seven batters and scattered six hits over eight and one-thirds innings to pick up his first victory of the year.
 
Prairie View A&M improved to 2-1 with the victory, and will host Incarnate Word in its home opener Tuesday at Tankersley Field.
 
Grambling State's Dian Holbrook struck out five batters and allowed two earned runs over seven innings as he absorbed the loss for the Tigers (1-2).
 
The Panthers took a 4-1 lead into the bottom of the ninth inning, with Williams set to pitch for the complete game, as he had retired the previous eight batters. The Tigers clawed to within striking distance with a two-run home run from Diamyn Hall.
 
Head coach Auntwan Riggins then went to his bullpen, with Cassity Land striking out a batter and allowing a hit. Jordan Johnson walked two more batters to load the bases, but induced Angel Peguero to fly out deep to left field, where defensive replacement Kevin Lahaie caught the game-winning out.
 
Angel Avalos led the Panther bats with a 3-for-4 showing at the plate, knocking a double and an RBI. Shannon Washington went 2-for-4 with an RBI, while David Drake went 2-for-4 and stole two bases.
 
The Panthers wasted little time getting on the board. Avalos knocked a two-out double down the leftfield line in the first inning, and then came home on Washington's RBI single.
 
Avalos' bat provided the Panthers next run in the top of the third. He knocked a two-out RBI single to centerfield that scored Brashard Jones to give the Panthers a 2-0 lead.
 
Holding on to a one-run lead in the top of the seventh, the Panthers manufactured a run starting with Jaron Hicks' leadoff walk on a full count. Hicks then moved to second on Kevin Macias' sacrifice bunt, and then came home on Jones' RBI single to center field.
 
In the eighth inning, the Panthers got leadoff hits from Avalos and Washington off GSU relief pitcher Jordan White. White then balked to move the runners to second and third.
 
After a groundout by Drake failed to move the runners, Carson Lee, who homered in Saturday's win over Alcorn State, rapped a single through the right side of the infield to score Avalos. The run would turn into the game-winning run following Grambling State's failed comeback attempts in the later innings.
 
The Panthers host Incarnate Word on Tuesday, and then travel to College Station on Wednesday to face Texas A&M. Game time Tuesday is scheduled for 2 p.m.