Disaster has struck for the Southern baseball team on the first day of the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament.
Wednesday afternoon at Lee-Hines Field, the Jaguars took a four-run lead into the eighth inning against Mississippi Valley State — but their bullpen fell apart as the Delta Devils rallied to tie the score, then pull ahead in the ninth for a shocking 6-4 victory, sending SU to an elimination game against Grambling.
The Jaguars and Tigers square off at 9 a.m. Thursday at Lee-Hines Field.
The loser of that game is finished.
Southern came into this tournament, in its own ballpark, on a 16-game winning streak, one of the favorites to win it and claim a spot in the NCAA regionals.
Now, the Jaguars (31-15), the Western Division champion, must win four straight times — once Thursday, twice Friday and once Saturday — to reach Sunday’s championship game.
Earlier Wednesday, Alcorn rallied to drop Grambling, 6-2, and Prairie View rallied to crush Alabama State, 14-4.
More to come.
