Feb. 25, 2011
Final Stats
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COMPTON, Calif - The 2011 MLB Urban Classic opened with an unexpected turn as Grambling State (1-4) overcame Bethune-Cookman (3-3) in the sixth inning and held off a late Wildcat rally for the 5-3 win. The SWAC-based Tigers translated eight hits into the win and snapped B-CU's 26-game win streak against fellow HBCU's.
"We didn't have good at-bats," said Head Coach Mervyl Melendez following the loss. "I thought that we were trying to hit the ball out every time we stepped up to the plate, and we just didn't have a good approach offensively. The bottom line is that if we do a good job offensively, the outcome of that game is a little bit different. I'm very disappointed with the effort of our guys today, and they need to show me more effort if they want to be part of this program."
GSU LHP Adrian Turner (1-1) pitched eight innings with 7 strikeouts and 3 earned runs until pulled amidst the B-CU comeback for closer Zach Moreau. Turner pulled double-duty and proved troublesome, as he led the Tigers in hitting, going 3-5 with 1 RBI and 1 run.
The Wildcats grabbed the lead in the first inning, as Alejandro Sanchez converted a dash for third on a wild pitch into a run on an overthrown ball from the plate to third.
The game remained at 1-0 in B-CU's favor through the fifth, as GSU scored two in the sixth, one in the seventh, and twice more in the eighth, set off by a Turner triple.
B-CU started to make moves on the comeback in the bottom of the eighth, with Emmanuel Castro hitting a two-run shot over the left field wall, bringing himself and DJ Leonard across the plate. The `Cats put themselves in position to take command in the bottom of the ninth, with two runners on, before two flies to the outfield closed out the game in a GSU win.
As a team, B-CU collected 4 hits, with Castro leading with 1 hit and 2 RBI. Three other Wildcats had one hit apiece. Castro joined GSU's Turner in being named the players of the game.
"The expectations are not being met. The way that we're playing the game is not the way that we need to play it," Melendez commented. "We're not playing with a lot of intensity, we're not playing with passion, and we're not playing with our hearts; we're playing the game very laid-back, very mellow."
This week has been challenging for B-CU, now with three losses after opening the season on a 3-0 run at home. Coach Melendez recognizes the need to adapt and overcome in order for this team to meet its goals.
"That's just not the way that our program is, and that's not the way that we've done in the past," Melendez concluded. "Things are going to change, and they have to change if we want to be successful. The expectations are very high and right now we're not anywhere close to meeting those expectations."
The Wildcats return to action at the Urban Classic on Saturday afternoon at the Urban Youth Academy, facing off with UC-Irvine (5-0) at 1:00 p.m. PST. The Anteaters defeated Southern, 7-1, in Urban Classic action at their home field. Saturday's game will be televised on MLB Network (Brighthouse Networks channel 100 and 1141 in HD) at 4:00 p.m. EST.
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