ITTA BENA, Miss. (Interstat) — Pierre Cabral drove in four runs with a three-hit performance that included a home run, leading Jackson State to an 11-5 victory over Mississippi Valley State on Friday at Magnolia Field in a Southwestern Athletic Conference matchup.

Cabral, the Tigers’ left fielder, went 3 for 5 with a first-inning RBI single and a two-run homer in the third inning that tied the game at 3. He added an RBI double during a five-run fourth inning that broke the game open. Cabral entered the night hitting .308 over his previous four games, including a 3-for-6 outing April 26 at Alabama A&M.

Jackson State improved to 20-22 overall and 17-12 in SWAC play. Mississippi Valley State fell to 11-32 and 9-19.

The Delta Devils struck first with three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Tanner Aoki singled, Cody Leming was hit by a pitch and Gabe Huelsing walked to load the bases. Tom Early grounded out to drive in Aoki, Eric Williams grounded out to plate Leming and Kendall Brookins doubled to score Huelsing.

Jackson State answered quickly. After scoring a run in the top of the first on Cabral’s single, the Tigers tied the game in the third when Cabral homered to left after Ty Reed had singled. The game remained knotted at 3 until the top of the fourth, when the Tigers sent nine men to the plate and scored five runs on five hits.

The rally began with Eric Torres singling and moving to second on a sacrifice bunt. Asafa Jones doubled Torres home, and Reed walked. Robert Tate Jr. then bunted for a single, and Reed scored on the play while Jones came home on a throwing error by third baseman Tom Early. Cabral doubled to left to bring home Tate, and Edwin Lemus Hudson Jr. doubled to score Cabral. The Tigers led 8-3.

Jackson State’s pitching staff combined to strike out 13 Delta Devils. Starter Talmagde Davis worked three innings, allowing three earned runs on four hits with three strikeouts. Trae Burton relieved and threw three scoreless innings, giving up no hits with four strikeouts and one earned run. Jaedeyn Edwards pitched the final three innings, allowing two runs on three hits with six strikeouts. The trio did not allow a hit from the second inning until the seventh.

Mississippi Valley State sliced the deficit in the bottom of the seventh. Huelsing doubled, Tom Early walked and Ty Burns singled to drive in Huelsing, cutting the lead to 8-4. But Edwards struck out the next two batters to end the threat.

Jackson State added two runs in the eighth. Reed walked, Isaac Ty — pinch-running for Asafa Jones — stole second, and Tate doubled them both home for a 10-4 lead. The Tigers tacked on an unearned run in the ninth on a two-base error by second baseman Tanner Aoki.

Huelsing finished 3 for 3 with a triple, a double, a walk and an RBI for Mississippi Valley State. Brookins went 2 for 4 with an RBI. Gage Deutsch struck out six in four innings of relief, allowing two earned runs on three hits. Camden Farmer pitched two-thirds of an inning and did not allow a hit.

Jackson State outhit Mississippi Valley State 14-10. The Tigers stole one base, while the Delta Devils did not attempt a steal.

The game was the first of a three-game series between the SWAC rivals. Mississippi Valley State won the previous meeting between the teams Feb. 28 in Jackson, a 14-8 victory. The teams meet again Saturday and Sunday in Itta Bena.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Jackson State 6, Mississippi Valley State 1, while Interstat’s ELO system gave Jackson State a 79.10 percent probability to win.