LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The Talladega College baseball team completed the conference sweep of Philander Smith College this afternoon on the road in impressive fashion with a 21-1 victory. Talladega moves to 26-15 and 14-3 in the GCAC while the Panthers drop to 2-27 and 2-16.
Talladega took an early 2-0 lead after the first inning and then tacked on four more runs in the top of the second.
Jose Santiago got things going in the second when he leadoff with a solo shot to left field to make it, 3-0.
Armando Jackson was able to take advantage of an error by the third base to reach first. He later was lifted for pinch runner Jaylen Lamboy. Back-to-back wild pitches allowed Lamboy to move all the way to third with no outs. He later scored off an RBI single up the middle by
Jahir Cruz to push the lead to, 4-0.
The inning kept going when
Victor Rivera's single through the right side sent Cruz to third to put runners on the corners. Rivera then stole second to move into scoring position with one down. Cruz scored from third off of
Darlin Fernandez's sac fly to left for the second out of the inning. Rivera stole his second bag of the inning as he took third.
Miguel Oropeza walked and later moved to second when Norma Garcia was plunked to load the bases.
Isaac Guzman got in on the action when he drew an RBI walk to score Rivera and put Talladega up 6-0 before the inning ended.
After both teams went scoreless in the third, Talladega pushed seven runs across in the top of the fourth on four hits with two of the hits being home runs to make it, 13-0.
The Tornadoes didn't let up in the top of the fifth and sixth as they scored four runs in each of the innings to take a 21-0 lead.
Philander Smith got on the board in the bottom of the sixth off a solo home run to make it a 21-1 game.
Talladega pitching allowed just four hits and two walks while striking out seven. Starter
Samuel Guadamuz went three innings allowing one hit and striking out three.
Reliever
Jaquan Byrd picked up his first win (1-0) of the season. He allowed one hit and a pair of walks over two innings of work while fanning three.
Talladega hit four home runs and four doubles as a team while stealing six stolen bases.
Guzman and Cruz combined going 3-for-4 with six RBIs, four runs scored, two walks, two home runs, and a stolen base.
Rivera paced all Talladega players with four stolen bases while going 1-for-2 with two runs scored.
Talladega returns home this Tuesday to host NCAA Division II Columbus State University at 2 p.m. The last time these teams met, the Tornadoes won 10-3 at Columbus State.
