The Southern University baseballteam (16-7 overall, 11-3 Southwestern Athletic Conference) had already scoredfour runs off the Jackson State Tigers (15-11 overall, 9-4 SWAC) by the timetheir undisputed favorite fan, Po’ Ben had arrived to their game on Saturday.Although he had not arrived until the bottom of the seventh inning, he was justin time to watch the Jaguars unleashed 12 runs on a Tigers’ baseball team thatjust could not find a rhythm against a Southern squad that rocked a 16-0shutout.
“We just wanted to make a statementto that side of the SWAC,” said senior third baseman Andrew Toussaint. “Justbecause we lost a lot of guys, we wanted people to know that we still have guysthat can play.”
Ben also missed junior right handerJose Pena’s performance on the mound against the Tigers. In seven innings, Pena(4-0, 1.23 ERA) only gave up two hits and struck out nine of the Tigers’batters.
“I’m just happy that the pitcheswere there,” Pena said. Jags’ head coach Roger Cador also allowed sophomoreright hander Emary Frederick to get action on the mound in the eight inningwhile junior right hander Ronald Moore closed out the game in the ninth inning.Both Frederick and Moore only gave up one hit while Frederick struck out twoTigers’ batters.
“Coach Cador knows what he’s doing,”Pena said. “He has a reason for placing the pitchers he puts on the mound.”
The 16-0 win came after the Jags putaway the University of New Orleans (14-14 overall, 3-0 Sun Belt) on Friday forthe second consecutive time this season. The Privateers, guided by superstarpitcher Thomas Diamond (4-3, 2.70 ERA), came to Baton Rouge seeking revenge onSouthern after losing 14-4 to the Jags on February 8. However, revenge wouldnot be found.
Corey Poret (1-3, 5.00 ERA) got hisfirst win of the season in the Jags’ 5-3 win over the Privateers. Poret pitchedsix innings and gave up only two hits, while he struck out six UNO batters.
Sunday ended three days of play forthe Jags when they traveled to Jackson, Miss. and defeated the Tigers 12-8 atthe second game of their home and home weekend series. Although JSU hadmultiple opportunities to cut the lead that Southern possessed throughout thegame, freshman Miles Torregano went 2-for-2, hitting three RBI’s, to assure theJags a 12-8 victory.
The Jags will travel to Ponchatoula,La. to play Southeastern Louisiana University tomorrow at 6:30 p.m.
On Thursday, they will host StillmanCollege (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) at Lee-Hines Field at 6:30 p.m.
Their Easter Holiday plans willconsist of playing Texas Southern in Houston on Saturday and Easter Sunday,with both games beginning at noon.
