Box Score Grambling, La- Back to back homeruns in the fourth-inning helped lift the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff baseball team to an 8-5 victory over Grambling Tigers Friday night SWAC contest.

With the win the Lions still hold sole possession of first place in the Western Division and have won five consecutive conference games.

"On moving the game to Grambling at the last minute and still staying focus and coming out with a victory is good. The team was prepared all offseason in the fall for adversity. One of the team motto is "Make It Happen", no matter what it is. The guys did a good job of understanding and making the adjustment. The team is mature and understands the significant of playing on the road and they actually like winning on the road, "head Coach Carlos James said."

The game was original schedule for to be played in Pine Bluff, but the agreement between both coaches was to move to the series to Grambling and the series will return to Pine Bluff on April 19-20.

With Grambling (3-13, 2-5 SWAC) being up 2-1 in the in the top of the fourth, senior Isias Alcantar and Junior Joshua Cassidy
came up big hitting back to back homeruns to give the Golden Lions (5-11, 5-1 SWAC) the lead 4-2.

"Alcantar is getting things going again, his bat is beginning to wake up, he hit a homerun and had three RBI's to spark up the team. It's really good for us because we actually have been winning conference games without him being at his best, so if he can keep it going the future is bright".

The Lions would add to their lead by scoring one run in the top of the fifth after Mike Wieland, followed by Kirby Campbell single to left and Wieland would soon score on a wild pitch by Grambling Edvaradas Matusevicius. UAPB tacked on insurance runs in the sixth inning scoring three runs to put the score at 8-2.

Grambling would make a threat in the bottom of the sixth with Juan Bueno drawing a walk, and then Yariel Median would hit a double down right field line scoring Bueno. The Tigers drew another walk, putting Jonathan Tineo on, with now a runner on first and second. Korey Hall would cut the lead to three 8-5 with a double in the gap in right center, scoring Medina and Tineo.

The Lions would put a stop to Grambling comeback with pitcher Jaron Gold picking off pinch runner Desmond Stegall at second to end the inning.

Edvaradas Matusevicius (1-4) would take the loss for the Tigers.
Kyle Schwartz earned the win (2-1) for the Golden Lions going 5.2 innings six hits and six strikeouts and Redmond Floyd picked up his second save of the season.

"He did a great job for us tonight; he set the tone, giving us a chance to win. He pitched well into the sixth inning, throwing like 98-99 pitches, I should have taken him out after pitch 97 because pitch 98 Grambling hit a two run double when the score was 8-2 and made it 8-5. But overall he did what a senior pitcher supposes to due. He gave us a chance to win the first opener of a three game series on the road, James said." Hopefully we can keep the past going because we got Ramirez and Ploger going Sunday.

Freshman Jerimiah Figueroa led UAPB at the plate going 3-for-3, Alcantar going 1-for-3 with three RBI's, and one homerun, Joshua Cassidy 2-for-3, two RBI's and one homerun, Andre Davis going 2-for-4, scoring two runs and Kirby Campbell also going 2-for-4 with one RBI. Jordan Hass, Mitch Bruckshaw and Mike Wieland had one hit apiece.

The Golden Lions will play a doubleheader Sunday March 17 at 12:00PM and 3:00PM, due to inclement weather on Saturday.