MACON, GA | Morehouse came out swinging in its 2026 SIAC Baseball Tournament opener, built an early four-run lead and later erased a three-run deficit, but the Maroon Tigers could not finish off the comeback in an 11-9 loss to No. 4 Savannah State in the first round of the double-elimination tournament at Luther Williams Field. In a game that did not begin until 9:45 p.m. and stretched past midnight, No. 5 Morehouse tied the score at 9-9 in the fifth inning before Savannah State answered with the decisive two-run homer in the eighth.
No. 4 Savannah State 11, No. 5 Morehouse 9
Morehouse looked ready to grab control early. Robert Robinson Jr. reached on an error to open the game, TJ Whiteman singled and Elijah Pinckney followed with a base hit to load the bases. Myles Tucker brought Robinson home with a sacrifice fly, and Elijah James followed with an RBI single to score Whiteman and give the Maroon Tigers a 2-0 lead in the first.
The Maroon Tigers added two more in the second with back-to-back solo shots from the bottom and top of the order. Nicholas Pittman opened the inning with a home run to left field, and Robinson Jr. later launched a solo homer to left center, pushing Morehouse in front 4-0.
Savannah State flipped the game in the bottom of the second, putting together a seven-run inning to take a 7-4 lead. Gavin Jusino drove in two with a single, Jason Ramos and Julian Grier followed with RBI singles, and Kidane Stephens delivered the biggest blow of the frame with a two-run double.
Morehouse refused to let the game get away. In the fourth, Robinson Jr. singled and Tripp Braswell walked before Whiteman ripped a two-run double to center field, cutting the Savannah State lead to 7-6. Savannah State got both runs back in the bottom half on a two-run single by Stephens, stretching the margin to 9-6.
The Maroon Tigers answered again in the fifth. James walked, Mariano McLean drew another walk, Robinson Jr. later walked to load the bases, and Braswell came through with the swing that brought Morehouse all the way back. The freshman drove a three-run triple to right field, scoring James, McLean and Robinson Jr. to tie the game at 9-9.
From there, the game settled into a late-night grind. Antoine Holloway gave Morehouse a chance out of the bullpen, working through the middle innings and keeping Savannah State scoreless in the fifth, sixth and seventh. Morehouse put the go-ahead run in scoring position in the eighth after Pinckney singled, Tucker sacrificed him to second and a wild pitch moved him to third, but the Maroon Tigers could not push the run across.
Savannah State finally broke the tie in the bottom of the eighth. Grier doubled down the left-field line, and Johan Sandoval followed with a two-run homer to left center to give Savannah State an 11-9 lead. Morehouse brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth after Robinson Jr. singled and Braswell walked, but Savannah State escaped the threat to send the Maroon Tigers into the elimination bracket.
Key Moments
The game turned on two big swings in opposite directions. Braswell's bases-clearing triple in the fifth completely changed the feel of the night and pulled Morehouse even after Savannah State had taken control. But the Maroon Tigers' best late chance came in the eighth, when Pinckney reached third with two outs and the game still tied. Savannah State stranded him there, then answered with Sandoval's two-run homer in the bottom half.
Morehouse showed plenty of fight offensively, scoring in four of the first five innings and producing 11 hits, eight walks and four extra-base hits. The difference came in the defensive column and on the mound, where Savannah State turned a seven-run second inning and a two-run eighth into enough separation.
Team Comparison
- Hits: Morehouse 11, Savannah State 10.
- Errors: Morehouse 3, Savannah State 1.
- Left on base: Morehouse 12, Savannah State 7.
- Extra-base hits: Morehouse 4 — two home runs, one triple and one double; Savannah State 4 — one home run and three doubles.
- Walks drawn: Morehouse 8, Savannah State 8.
- Strikeouts: Morehouse pitching struck out 8; Savannah State pitching struck out 12.
- Runners in scoring position: Morehouse finished 4-for-17 with runners in scoring position; Savannah State went 6-for-17.
Morehouse Leaders
- Robert Robinson Jr.: 4-for-5, home run, RBI, four runs scored, walk and stolen base.
- Tripp Braswell: 1-for-4, three-run triple, three RBI, run scored and two walks.
- TJ Whiteman: 2-for-5, double, two RBI, run scored and walk.
- Elijah Pinckney: 2-for-5.
- Nicholas Pittman: 1-for-5, solo home run, RBI and run scored.
- Elijah James: 1-for-4, RBI, run scored, walk and stolen base.
- Mariano McLean: Reached three times with two walks, one hit-by-pitch and one run scored.
- Antoine Holloway: 4.1 innings in relief, five hits, two earned runs and six strikeouts.
Up Next
Morehouse will move to the elimination bracket and face No. 8 Kentucky State at 2:30 p.m. today in the SIAC Baseball Tournament at Luther Williams Field in Macon, Ga. The Maroon Tigers will need a win to keep their tournament run alive. For up-to-date athletic information on the Maroon Tigers, follow them on social media or online at www.morehouseathletics.com or on Instagram at morehouse_baseball.
