Golden Rams fall in SIAC tournament opener

Box Score Ozark, Ala.- The Albany State Golden Rams opened the 2014 SIAC Tournament with an upset loss to the Kentucky State Thorobreds 7-5 at Eagle Stadium. Albany State, the East Division champion, is the No. 1 seed from that division, while KSU is the 4^th seed from the West Division.

Albany State entered the game with a perfect 20-0 record in SIAC action during the regular season. The Golden Rams fall to 28-17 overall with the loss. ASU drops to the loser's bracket where they will face #3E Benedict at 9 a.m. (central time) today. The Thorobreds, who were swept in the three-game regular season series when the two teams played in Frankfort earlier this season, move to 14-35. Kentucky State moves on to the second round for a match-up with #2W Tuskegee today, with first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m.

After a scoreless first inning, Kentucky State opened the scoring with two runs in second inning to take an early lead. The Thorobreds added another run in the third inning for a 3-0 lead.

Albany State scored its first run in the fourth inning. Jacob Campbell scored on a throwing error to score, and ASU trailed 3-1. KSU answered with three runs in the top of the fifth inning to build its lead to 6-1. The Golden Rams added another run when Reise McDaniel hit a single to score Jeremy Arrington and cut ASU's deficit to 6-2.

The Golden Rams mounted a huge comeback during the eighth inning. Allen Hardy singled to score Robert Latner and Jacob Campbell to make the score 6-3. Fountaine Washington scored on a fielder's choice, and ASU only trailed 6-5 heading into the final inning.

In the top of the ninth inning, KSU scored another run to increase their lead to 7-5. Albany State could not score any runs any the bottom half of the inning.
Campbell and McDaniel collected two hits apiece for the Golden Rams. Hardy led the team with two RBI's. John Paul Benard, who entered the game with an undefeated (7-0) in conference play, recorded the mound loss.

Print Friendly Version