For the second consecutive game, Southern let a competitive game slip away in the late innings, and this one cost them the series at Lee-Hines Field on Sunday.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff scored five runs in the seventh to wipe out a 5-4 Jaguar lead and finished off the home team in an 11-6 victory to take the three-game series, 2-1.
Pinch hitter Ben VanMaanen’s grand slam keyed the seventh and put an exclamation point on the weekend for the Lions, the top hitting team in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. UAPB finished the weekend with 39 runs and 52 hits.
The Jaguars (13-15, 7-3 in SWAC play) outhit the Lions 14-13, but failed multiple times in the clutch. Southern batters struck out nine times, including four times looking, and left 14 runners on base.
“We just didn’t get any timely hits,” Southern coach Chris Crenshaw said. “It’s disappointing to say the least. We had non-competitive at bats when it mattered. You lose ball games when you have that. (Putting the ball in play) is all I ask. I hope we learn from it.”
“We just didn’t come through. I guess it was baseball humbling us. We’ve got to figure it out.”
Southern had taken a 5-4 lead on a run-scoring double by Khyle Radcliffe in the sixth inning. Jaguars starter Joseph Semien pitched reasonably well, allowing two earned runs in six innings. But reliever Jerry Burkett, who saved Monday’s upset win over LSU with two scoreless innings, couldn’t get anybody out.
A single, a walk and a hit batter loaded the bases for VanMaanen, who launched a full-count pitch over the left-centerfield wall. Burkett hit the next batter before being pulled and he scored on a base hit by DJ Noble off Christian Davis.
UAPB (13-19, 4-7) tacked on two more in the eighth off Davis. Semien allowed six hits and struck out eight in his second start of the season.
Logan Sanders hit a two-run homer for Southern to give it a 3-1 lead. Two other runs came in on wild pitches. KJ White had three hits for Southern and eight for the weekend. Tyeler Hawkins had a run-scoring single in the ninth.
Southern left the bases loaded twice, but Hawkins popped out to end the third and Quincy Smith flied out to center field in the seventh. After Radcliffe’s double put runners at second and third in the sixth, the Jaguars missed a chance to add to the lead. Jalon Mack struck out looking and Donny Sandifer grounded out to shortstop
“Give them (UAPB) props, they hit when it was key,” White said. “They’ve been hitting all weekend. That’s good bat power.
“We showed we can do it, it’s about being consistent. I trust my teammates. I know we’ll be here again. We’ll come through, there are downs and ups to the season. We just have to keep playing.”
The Jaguars have midweek home games against Dillard Tuesday and Incarnate Word Wednesday before traveling to play SWAC West Division leader Grambling next weekend.
