PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas – The Golden Lions of Arkansas–Pine Bluff scored the first six runs of the game Friday and went on to claim an 11-7 win over the Prairie View A&M Panthers.
Dontrell Brown's three-run home run in the top of the seventh stretched Pine Bluff's lead to 9-4 and gave the Lions the cushion they needed to complete the win. The Golden Lions' first baseman also had an RBI triple, giving him four RBIs for the afternoon.
Arkansas–Pine Bluff (16-19) improved to 12-4 in conference play and stayed tied with Grambling State atop the Southwestern Athletic Conference's West Division standings. The Lions won their eighth consecutive game, and their 10th consecutive contest against SWAC opposition.
Cody Den Beste knocked two RBIs while
Josh Wells (pictured) and
Kevin Macias picked up two base hits apiece for the Panthers (9-23, 4-14 SWAC). Macias went 2-for-2 at the plate, scoring twice and drawing three walks.
Brashad Jones hit his first home run of his collegiate career in the bottom of the sixth inning; his solo home run was the first of two runs the Panthers would score that inning to cut the Pine Bluff lead to 6-4.
UAPB's Blake Estep earned the win for the Golden Lions, tossing five and one-thirds innings while giving up four runs and striking out four batters. He improved his season record to 3-3.
Edgar Sanchez absorbed the loss on the mound for the Panthers. The junior transfer from Everman, Texas (Cedar Valley College) struck out six batters over seven innings in his first start at home in more than month. Three of the nine runs Sanchez gave up were unearned, as three of PVAMU's four errors occurred during the first two innings.
Junior infielder
Josh Jefferson made his first mound appearance in three years at PVAMU and did not disappoint; Jefferson allowed only one hit and struck out two batters tossing two shutout innings.
The Panthers and Golden Lions conclude their series Saturday with a doubleheader. The first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. The decision to play a doubleheader was made in anticipation of inclement weather that is forecasted for Sunday.
