Courtesy: Jackson State Athletics
Jackson State University head baseball coach Omar Johnson won his 500th career game as JSU beat Alabama State 5-0 in game two on Saturday at Braddy Field.
JSU dropped the opener earlier in the day 6-2 in the completion of Friday’s suspended game.
The teams will play the series finale Sunday at 1 p.m.
Game 2 – Tigers 5, Alabama State 0: Johnson garnered the milestone win as pitchers Erick Gonzales and Jesse Caver combined on the seven-hit shutout.
“Well, it kind of makes you reflect on all the time that I’ve been here and how fortunate I’ve been to come to Jackson State when I was 27,” said Johnson. “I would have taken the win against anybody. It didn’t make a difference. I just wanted to get past it. That’s the biggest deal. Erick came out (and) pitched really well. We got a couple of two-out hits right there toward the end of the game. They fought, as we have to find a way to score runs, as we’re not the most offensive team. The pitchers found a way to keep it close.”
JSU took the lead in the second, as El’Rico Riley scored from first base on a bunt single by Jaelen Williams and a throwing error on the play. With one out, Caleb Evans’ suicide squeeze bunt scored Williams for a 2-0 lead.
In the sixth, Devontae Rhodes singled to left, Ty Hill reached on a bunt single, and both players advanced on a wild pitch. With one out, Williams walked to load the bases. With two out, Evans delivered a two-run single to left, scoring Rhodes and Hill. Jefrey Rodriguez followed with a single to left, scoring Williams for the final margin.
Game 1 – Alabama State 6, Tigers 2: In game one that began Friday night, JSU tied the score in the bottom of the first. Jatavis Melton and Rhodes walked before Hill’s bunt single to third loaded the bases. Riley walked to score Melton to put JSU on the board.
After the game resumed Saturday in the sixth and ASU took the lead, Jackson State cut the margin to one in the seventh. Rodriguez walked and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Omar Gomez. Rodriguez then moved to third on a passed ball and scored on a two-out infield single by Rhodes, but the Tigers could get no closer.