Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 Lorman, Miss.- Head coach
Barret Rey and his ball club only had one thing on their mind this weekend and that was knocking kicking off SWAC play with some wins. Rey and his team did just that after being down 6-0 in the first game to come back and win 7-6 in the ninth and taking game two 7-4 at Willie "Rat" McGowan Stadium this afternoon.
Game 1
Both teams were scoreless up until the top of the fifth when the visiting Hornets scored two runs on two hits. Alabama State went on a streak of two runs in the next two innings following the fifth inning.
Alabama State added to their lead in the 7th inning on a fielder's choice RBI by Dexter Price and a sacrifice fly by Branden Castro which scored Richard Gonzalez to give the Hornets a 6-0 advantage. The Braves were down big and were fed up and begin to make plays.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Braves finally got into the scoring column on a RBI single by
Shane Brown which scored
Ryant Piper who came in the game to run for
Jordan Boston. Junior college transfer,
Angel Polo, made an immediate impact once he entered the game singling to left field and scoring
Alvin Jackson. The Braves would add two more runs in the seventh to cut the Hornets lead to 6-4.
The excitement picked up in the bottom of the ninth. The Braves scored two runs on a triple by
Josh Powell to tie the game at 6-6. All eyes were on
Alvin Jackson who came through for the Braves in the stretch. Jackson hit a RBI single to left field to score Powell for the Braves first win of the season and take game one 7-6.
The Braves finished game one with 11 hits.
Game 2
In the second game, the Braves took a different approach. Instead of trying to battle back like they did in game one, the Braves jumped on top of the Hornets early in the game.
Shane Brown set the tone for the Braves in the third inning leading off with a single. Two batters later, after the Braves recorded two outs, senior Chrisitan Hickman hit a two-RBI single to take a commanding 2-0 lead. Powell, who batted right after Hickman, singled in
Angel Rosa for a 3-0 lead.
The Hornets got on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth on a RBI single by Gonzalez. But the Braves added four more runs in the bottom of the fourth with Hickman leading the way once again with a RBI double.
With those back-to-back big innings the Braves were able to hang on to a 7-4 lead despite the Hornets scoring three runs in the top of the seventh.
Ryan Fuentes came in and pitched well to close out the Hornets.
Coach Rey and his staff were satisfied with the play of their team this afternoon. "The pitching helped us out a lot today even though we made a few simple mistakes, stated the Braves' coaches." "Today was probably the most we given as a team so far this season.
The Braves look to complete the sweep of the Hornets tomorrow afternoon. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.
