Prairie View bounces Southern baseball from SWAC tournament

FORT WORTH, Texas — The Southern baseball team’s worn-out pitching staff came apart and its batters squandered scoring opportunities Friday as Prairie View A&M eliminated the Jaguars from the SWAC tournament with an 11-4 victory.

SU, the top seed out of the West Division, was playing its third game in 28 hours and coming off a deflating, 10-9 loss to Alabama State after the Jaguars had led 9-3 in the eighth inning. That contest ended at 1:15 a.m. Friday; the Jaguars arrived later in the morning for a scheduled noon game that didn’t begin until 1:45 p.m.

“What happened today had a lot to do with what happened 24 hours ago, when we gave up six runs and lost a game (to Alabama State),” Southern coach Roger Cador said.

Once Friday’s game did start, the Jaguars (21-23) never led. The first three Panthers reached base in the first inning, then cleanup hitter Greg Salcido grounded out for the first of his four RBIs.

SWAC West No. 3 seed Prairie View (25-26) knocked Southern starter Daniel Garcia (4-5) from the game with two more runs in the second. He allowed four hits, two walks and three runs in 1.2 innings.

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