VICKSBURG, Miss. - The Alcorn State University softball squad combined for 26 hits, 23 runs, six home runs and a shutout in its two-game sweep over Kentucky State University Thursday night at the Vicksburg High School softball field.
"It's really great to have a season opener like this especially within the community," said head softball coach Josef Rankin. "We really try to stress to the players that a lot of times it's bigger than just us. You know as far as impacting the community, and I think they did a great job of basically showing what they're capable of doing within the community. The atmosphere itself was just great."
Alcorn 10, KSU 2 (Game 1)Â
Senior Jazmin Castillo had a shutout going until giving up two runs in the final inning. She scattered five hits and struck out four during the win.
The Lady Braves got on the board early with four runs in the bottom of the first. Junior first baseman Taylor Hughes started the rally with a rip down the left-field line which put junior Mariah Ortiz, who reached via error, on third.
Senior Vanessa Sanders brought those two home with a double in the left-center field gap. After Sanders stole third, fellow senior Montana Holyfield cleared the bases with a two-run homer to right field.
With runners at second and third in the next inning, Hughes struck the ball to left-center for a two-RBI double. Junior catcher Jessica Crum knocked in the final run of the inning on a sacrifice fly to right field, giving Alcorn a 7-0 advantage.
The scoring barrage continued in the third inning as a two-out triple from senior Madison Chitwood prompted a two-run home run to left field by rising junior Bre Glenn.
Holyfield smacked a double to right center in the fourth which scored senior Catherine Gore, making the count 10-0.
Alcorn totaled 11 hits by eight different student-athletes.
Listen to "Final Alcorn 10 Kentucky State 2 Softball Coach Josef Rankin Post Game" on Spreaker.Â
Alcorn 13, KSU 0 (Game 2) Â
Junior newcomer Madi Creed twirled her first career shutout with the Lady Braves in the second game of the doubleheader. She allowed just five hits and struck out seven in an economical 79-pitch outing.
Crum squared up a pitch for a two-RBI single that commenced the scoring in the first.
The second saw Alcorn put up a six-spot on four homers, one each from Crum, Glenn, Holyfield and Hughes.
The Lady Braves tallied five runs in the third on five hits, which gave Creed more than enough breathing room.
Hughes, a 2017 Preseason All-SWAC first teamer, finished the doubleheader with six hits in seven at-bats.
Holyfield, who hit just one homer last season, and Glenn each finished with two long balls. Alcorn hit .510 (26-51) as a team on the day and limited the Thorobrettes to just .256 (10-39).
The Lady Braves have a quick turnaround this weekend at the Southeastern Louisiana Tournament in Hammond, Louisiana, where they will face the University at Buffalo, Morehead State University, Middle Tennessee State University and Southeast Missouri State University.
Listen to "Final Alcorn 13 Kentucky St 0 Gm 2 Head Coach Josef Rankin Interview" on Spreaker.
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