ALBANY, Ga. – The Golden Rams came alive last on Wednesday evening. After falling behind in the third frame, Albany State cut its deficit in half in the seventh and added another score in the eighth only to see its late charge fall short in a 6-4 baseball decision against Georgia Southwestern.

The Tornados (14-5) broke a scoreless game with a five-run frame in the top of the third when they lined five hits, but received a costly Golden Ram error for four of the runs to be unearned. Trailing 6-0 heading into the home seventh, ASU (9-6) received an Austin Roberts RBI ground out before Emory Stephens laced a triple to center to clear the rest of the bases and cut the margin to 6-3. Luke Addison raced home on a passed ball after taking a lead-off walk in the eighth, but he turned out to be the only run in the last two innings as the Golden Rams were retired in order in the ninth.

As a whole, the ASU bull pen was very solid. Over 6.2 innings of work, six relievers allowed only a single run, one hit and struck out five visitors. Calvin Baker logged 2.2 innings and struck out three without allowing a hit. Kaleb King (1.0), Tyler Bullock (1.0), Sebastian Griffeth (0.2) and Gercel Reyes (1.0) each did not give up any runs.

ASU recorded only four hits in the nine innings. Stephens' triple was the top hit with two RBI, while Zane Ross, Hill Corley and Roberts all singled.

The Golden Rams amounted a two-out Roberts single in the home second and Jonathan Logsdon drew a two-out walk in the third as the only two base runners over the first six innings.

Ross and Nathan Saavedra reached base on walks in the home seventh and Corley singled to load the bases. After Roberts ground out, Stephens laced his triple as the offensive highlight.

ASU will return to SIAC series play this weekend. The Golden Rams travel to Frankfort, Ky., for three games at Kentucky State starting on Sunday (March 10) for a doubleheader at 2:00 p.m.