BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - A five-run first inning created a hill too high to climb as TSU concluded its baseball season after a 6-4 loss to Southern at Rickwood Field.

Southern plated five runs in the opening inning and held off multiple threats late, while Texas Southern dropped to 21-24 on the season.

Texas Southern collected eight hits and drew seven walks but was hurt by four defensive errors, three of which led to unearned runs.

After falling behind 5-0 in the first inning, the Tigers responded in the third. Elijah Rodriguez scored on a sacrifice fly from Nate Lopez before Anthony Ruiz added another RBI sacrifice fly to trim the deficit to 5-2. Ruiz continued his strong night in the fifth inning with an RBI single through the right side to score Christopher Chavez and cut the margin to 5-3.

Southern added an insurance run in the seventh after capitalizing on a pair of TSU errors, extending its lead to 6-3.

The Tigers mounted one final push in the eighth as Shaun Williams delivered an RBI single to left field, scoring Tanner Marek to make it 6-4. TSU's Byron Robinson singled with two outs in the ninth to bring up the tying run, but Southern reliever Caleb Ellis forced a game-ending strikeout.

Chavez and Ruiz paced the Tigers offensively with two hits apiece, while Ruiz drove in two runs. Williams added an RBI and Rodriguez scored once for TSU.

On the mound, Dalton Alford provided strong relief work after the difficult opening inning, tossing 3.2 scoreless innings with three strikeouts.