HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – The Stillman College baseball team battled with Alabama A&M University at the Bulldog Baseball Field, but AAMU had just enough fire power to collect a 19-17 win over the Tigers Tuesday afternoon in an exciting matchup between two Alabama HBCUs.
After AAMU put two runs on the board in the first, the Tigers responded with four runs in the second inning, starting with a
Sieas Elliot single to center field to bring in
Samuel Fleming.
Gavin Rehorn followed that up with a single to left field to bring in Elliot.
Kobe Lewis gave Stillman the lead with a two-RBI single up the middle to score Rehorn and
Javian Rives.
The Bulldogs worked to tie the game in the bottom of the second, but the Tigers recaptured the lead in the third when
Thedrick Harris scored after a throwing error by the catcher on Elliot's bunt. Elliot later scored on a wild pitch to put SC up 6-4.
However, a triple by Isaac Castro knocked in two runs to tie the game again at 6-6.
Stillman again took the lead, with Elliot using a sacrifice fly to drive in
Griff Minor.
Mekha Hicks followed with a sacrifice fly to center field and Fleming crossed home to move the Tigers ahead 8-6.
In the bottom of the fourth, the AAMU bats started to heat up even more as the Bulldogs put up six runs to take a 12-8 lead at home. The Bulldogs added three more runs in the fifth to move ahead 15-8
Elliot scored on a second on another wild pitch in the sixth, but Alabama A&M answered with an RBI-single to take a 16-9 lead.
The Tigers' offense roared again in the seventh, starting with a Harris single through the left side to bring in Lewis. Fleming then scored on a passed ball. After Harris scored again after a Rives walk, Elliot was able to cross home to cut the lead to 16-13.
The Bulldogs answered with a run in the bottom of the seventh with an RBI-single from Trey Rutledge to go up 17-13.
Stillman battled back to tie the contest in the eighth, starting with some great base running from Fleming to help Lewis score from third. Harris knocked a single through the left side to bring in Fleming. With the bases loaded, Hicks drew a walk for an RBI as Harris scored.
Devin Kelly ended the rally by drawing another walk as
Daniel Salter trotted in to home plate for a 17-17 tie.
AAMU pulled ahead again in the eighth with an RBI-double by Dre Amaral to left-center to push ahead 19-17.
The Tigers left the bases loaded in the top of the ninth, and 19-17 held as the final in the wild matchup between in-state HBCUs.
Samuel Fleming feasted on the Bulldogs as he went 5-for-7 with three runs, two RBIs, a double and a stolen base.
Mekha Hicks led with three RBIs and added two steals.
Jaxon Pearson started the contest and went two innings.
Caleb Vallejo pitched an inning, while Ashton Kind followed him for 0.2 innings and threw a strikeout.
Collin DuBose tossed 0.1 innings.
Kenter Peterson tossed an inning, followed by
Isaiah Hoskins going an inning with a pair of strikeouts;
John Roland Jr. went an inning; and
Xavier Reyna was effective in relief with three strikeouts.
Stillman College returns to action Saturday with an HBCU Athletic Conference doubleheader against Dillard University. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. in New Orleans.
