With a three-run offensive outburst, the Talladega baseball team upset 12th-ranked Middle Georgia State 6-5 on its home field on Saturday. Talladega thus improves to 13-10 on the season while Middle Georgia State drop to 16-7.
The tying runs came on freshman Miguel Oropeza’s two-run home run to center field. Then Talladega completed the ninth inning rally on an Adriel Acevedo double down the left field line to plate the winning run.
Oropeza finished the day one-for-three with three runs batted in, one run scored, and a home run. Jan Rivera, Jefrey Roldan, and Acevedo each had one run batted in with Acevedo going two-for-five and Roldan was one-for two.
Junior starting pitcher Ricardo Blackman pitched seven innings and allowed four runs on six hits. He added three strikeouts before getting pulled in the eighth inning. Freshmen’s RHP Oliver Cruz, in relief, struck out the two batters he faced and Wendy Senvil, in 1.1 innings recorded the win.
Middle Georgia State, the No. 12 ranked team in the NAIA Top 25 Coaches Poll scored two runs in the third inning to take a 2-0 lead. They added one run in the fifth and another run in the top of the seventh inning pushing the Knights to a 4-0 Advantage.
Talladega would make it a 4-3 game in the bottom of the seventh. Jesuette Dominguez was hit by a pitch to leadoff the inning. Jose Santiago walked and Dominguez advanced to second. Isaac Guzman singled through the infield to load the bases. Rivera walked scoring Dominguez. Jahir Cruz entered the game as a pinch runner for Rivera. Roldan walked scoring Santiago making it a 4-2 game with Cruz advancing to second and Guzman moving up to third. Oropeza reached on a fielder’s choice plating another run which made the score 4-3 in favor of Middle Georgia State
Middle Georgia added a run in the top of the ninth inning before Talladega scored its three in the bottom of the inning for the game winning runs.
Talladega’s offense totaled 9 hits in the contest, drew seven walks, and were hit by three pitches.
Talladega continues with its tough schedule… the toughest among all HBCUs in the NAIA. The Tornados have beaten Middle Georgia State and Reinhardt University (receiving votes in the NAIA Top 25 Coaches Poll) and have 15 remaining games against teams rank in the NAIA Top 25 and Black College Nines Top 10 small school poll. Remaining games against teams ranked and receiving votes include No. 5 Georgia Gwinnett, No. 12 Middle Georgia State and No. 19 William Carey all in the NAIA poll and both No. 6 Miles, and No. 10 Tuskegee in the BCN poll.
The win over Middle Georgia State was a Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) game with two remaining games over the weekend.