PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas --The Prairie View A&M Panthers fought back from tied 6-6 in the eighth inning to win in thrilling fashion, rallying to earn a 7-6 walk-off victory in the 11th inning over the Jackson State Tigers Saturday.
Sophomore Demarques Thompson (1-2) got the win out of the bullpen for Prairie View A&M (5-14, 1-1). The right-hander went 2.2 shutout innings, giving up two hits, two walks and striking out two. Senior Seve Medrano started the ballgame and went 8.1 innings, surrendering six runs, three earned, on six hits, walking six and striking out five.
In the batter's box, the Panthers were paced by sophomore Ahmar Donatto, who went 2-for-5 on the day with a double and an RBI. Senior Brayden Johnson put together a standout performance at the dish as well, going 1-for-3 with a walk and two RBI. Senior Trenton Bush also contributed for Prairie View A&M, putting together one hit in five trips to the plate while adding a double, a walk and an RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Panthers got the scoring started early, putting two runs on the board in the bottom the first inning with the game still scoreless. Johnson drove in two runs for Prairie View A&M with a single, that scored freshman Sonnier Moses and senior Jayden Williams.
The Tigers then rallied to score four runs and take a 4-2 lead before the Panthers got back on the board in the fourth. Prairie View A&M picked up two runs when a single from Moses scored sophomore Michael Smith and senior Mason Heiskell, which evened the score at 4-4.
That 4-4 tie turned into a 5-4 Prairie View A&M lead in the fifth. The Panthers notched a run on Donatto's one-out RBI double.
Prairie View A&M kept the Tigers scoreless before building on their lead in the seventh inning. The Panthers scored once on an RBI single off the bat of Smith, bringing the score to 6-4 in favor of Prairie View A&M.
Jackson State then rallied to tie the ballgame at 6-6 before Prairie View A&M walked it off in the bottom of the eleventh on Bush's two-out RBI double.
GAME NOTES
» Medrano struck out five Tigers hitters.
» Every Prairie View A&M starter reached base safely in the win.
» Prairie View A&M's highest scoring inning was the fourth, when it pushed two runs across.
» Moses stole two bases in Saturday's game.
» The Panthers stole five bases as a team.
» Prairie View A&M pitchers limited Jackson State to just 1-for-13 (.077) with runners in scoring position.
» Prairie View A&M pitchers faced 51 Jackson State hitters in the game, allowing 12 ground balls and 13 fly balls while striking out seven.
» The Panthers drew seven walks from Jackson State pitching.
» Donatto led the Panthers at the plate, going 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI.
