The Clark Atlanta University Panthers baseball team erased a five-run deficit, eventually tying a close game, but fell late, 9-7, to Kentucky State University in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Baseball Championships in Albany, Ga., Thursday.

The Panthers now play the loser of Thursday's Spring Hill vs. Benedict game in an elimination contest Friday at 2 p.m.

Thursday, Clark Atlanta got on the board first when Jason Howell doubled and then scored, followed by McKaleb Harelmon's single that scored Jordon Johnson, giving the Panthers a 2-0 in the first inning.  KSU countered with five runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 5-2 lead.

The Thorobreds added two more runs in the second to extend their lead to 7-2.  But CAU rallied, closing the gap in the third when Ayrton Gijsbertha doubled in Johnson and Anthony Nettles' sacrifice fly drove in Gijsbertha.  Demoni Brantley then scored when Ceontae Brandon reached on an error, making it 7-5.  In the fourth, Gijsbertha again drove in Johnson with a single to pull the Panthers within one.  And then Harlemon's sacrifice fly drove in Johnson in the sixth to tie the game at 7-7. 

But in the sixth inning, KSU's Jay Pollard reached on a fielder's choice, allowing Jace Wilson to score.  The Thorobreds added a final run in the seventh when Kevin Givhan II drove in Josh Graves with a single.

Gijbertha went 3-for-4, including a double, driving in two runs and scoring once.  Howell was 3-for-6, scoring once, while Johnson had two hits and scored four times. Harlemon also had two hits and drove in two runs.

Lovell Oatis pitched five innings in relief, striking out two, while Nettles took the loss after giving up a run in the sixth.