New Orleans finishes unbeaten at Urban Invitational
Prairie View, Alcorn St. also earn wins in tournament finales
NEW ORLEANS -- The Urban Invitational, Major League Baseball's bridge to inner-city communities around the country, wrapped up its ninth season Sunday with a final round of action at the local Urban Youth Academy.
Here is a rundown of Day 3:
University of New Orleans 9, Louisiana Tech 6
UNO and Louisiana Tech both came into this game unbeaten in the tournament, and they both cranked out nine hits in Sunday's finale. UNO took an early lead on back-to-back triples by Preston Marsh and Chaz Boyer in the second inning and survived a late rally by Louisiana Tech in the seventh.
Catcher Kyle Bracey homered, scored three times and drove in two runs for the Privateers, and Marsh finished the day with a 4-for-4 performance. Left fielder Marshall Boggs drove in two runs for Louisiana Tech. Senior southpaw Jordan Priddle threw six innings and earned the victory for UNO.
• Photos: Louisiana Tech vs. University of New Orleans
Prairie View A&M 4, Grambling State 3
Prairie View survived a late Grambling rally to earn its second win in three games at the Urban Invitational, and the final out was recorded on a warning-track fly ball to left field. Grambling's Diamyn Hall blasted a two-run home run with one out in the ninth inning to draw the home team within one run.
Starting pitcher Darrien Williams was dominant for Prairie View, and he fell just two outs shy of a complete game. Williams allowed six hits and three earned runs in the victory. First baseman Angel Avalos had three hits and scored twice for Prairie View and finished the tourney with a .545 average.
• Photos: Prairie View A&M vs. Grambling State
Alcorn State 6, Southern 2
Southern, the only team to play in all nine editions of the Urban Invitational, was the only team to go winless in the tourney this year. Second baseman Wallace Rios led Alcorn State with two hits and three RBIs, and starting pitcher Daniel Belmont worked three innings for the victory.
Southern was held scoreless in its first two games but managed two runs in the third inning Sunday. Shortstop Phillip Williams went 2-for-4 with a run scored in the loss.
• Photos: Southern University vs. Alcorn State