JACKSON, Miss. – The No. 2 Talladega College baseball team opened up the 2024 GCAC Baseball Championship with an 18-3 run-rule victory over No. 7 Oakwood University.  The Tornadoes extended their winning streak to 12 games while improving to 33-15. Oakwood dropped to 2-34 on the season.

Leading 2-0 heading into the bottom of the third, Talladega plated five runs on one hit. It all started when Victor Rivera walked and later moved to second when Darlin Fernandez was plunked. Rivera then stole third to put runners on the corners. Talladega then loaded the bases when Miguel Oropeza walked with no outs. Nomar Garcia cleared the bases when he parked a grand slam over the left field wall to make it, 6-0.

Still, with no outs in the third, Isaac Guzman walked and later stole second and third. With a runner in scoring position for the Tornadoes, Jose Santiago walked to put runners on the corners. Both runners executed a double steal perfectly that sent Santiago to second and Guzman scored the team's seventh run of the game before the inning ended.

Oakwood got three of the seven runs back in the top of the fourth as it used a pair of singles, a double, and a home run to make it a 7-3 game.

Talladega responded in the bottom of the fourth as it pushed six runs across on three hits to push its lead to, 13-3.

The Tornadoes added another five runs in the bottom of the sixth to make it an 18-3 game.

Starter Daniel Jose picked up his sixth win of the season to move to 6-1. He scattered five hits over four innings allowing three runs (all earned) while striking out five.

The Talladega bullpen allowed just three base runners while fanning five.

Garcia finished the night going 1-fo-4 at the plate for Talladega. He tallied four RBIs, two runs scored, and a home run.

Rivera led the team in walks with four and runs scored with four while going 1-for-1 with two RBIs.

Talladega is back in action tomorrow night at the GCAC Baseball Championship when it takes on No. 3 Dillard University at 7:30 p.m.