PREVIEW: Grambling at Arkansas-Pine Bluff

PINE BLUFF, Ark. (Interstat) — The Grambling Tigers and the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions will meet Friday evening in a Southwestern Athletic Conference series opener at Torii Hunter Baseball/Softball Complex.

First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. The forecast calls for 69 degrees and cloudy skies.

Grambling enters with a 20-24 record overall. Arkansas-Pine Bluff is 19-29.

The Tigers have won eight of their last 10 games, including a 19-9 victory over Florida A&M on Sunday in which left fielder Cameron Hill went 3 for 5 with two home runs and eight RBIs.

Hill, the Tigers’ top power threat, has been on a tear. Over his last 10 games, the outfielder is hitting .600 (12 for 20) with four homers and 16 RBIs. He had multi-hit games in eight of those contests, including a 3-for-4 performance with three RBIs in a 6-4 win over Florida A&M on May 2 and a 3-for-6 outing with a homer and three RBIs in an 11-4 victory at Alcorn State on April 24.

The Golden Lions come off a 10-6 win at Bethune-Cookman on May 2, snapping a four-game losing streak. Right-handed reliever Brendan Hamlin has been a steady presence out of the bullpen. In his last appearance, Hamlin threw three scoreless innings, allowing no hits and striking out one. Over his last eight outings covering 13 1/3 innings, the reliever has allowed six earned runs with 10 strikeouts. He also tossed three scoreless innings in a 6-4 win over Texas Southern on April 17.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s offense in its most recent win was fueled by first baseman Lazaro Alvarado, who went 4 for 6 with three RBIs. Pitcher Jordan Medellin also worked 1 2/3 scoreless innings.

Grambling’s other key contributors in Sunday’s win included center fielder Trey Bridges, who was 3 for 4 with a home run and three RBIs, and pitcher Rafael Capistran, who threw three scoreless innings.

The Tigers have taken three of four from Alcorn State and swept a three-game series against Prairie View earlier this month.

The Golden Lions have lost seven of their last nine games overall, including three straight to Southern from April 24-26.

Interstat’s game simulator projects an 8-3 Grambling win, and its ELO system gives the Tigers a 61.6 percent probability of victory.

The three-game series continues Saturday and Sunday before both teams hit the road next week. Grambling travels to Bethune-Cookman on May 14, while Arkansas-Pine Bluff hosts Arkansas State on May 12 before heading to Jackson State.