Braves Split Doubleheader with Butler

LORMAN, Miss. – A 10-run inning for the Alcorn State University baseball program led it to a 13-8 win in game one of the doubleheader, but Butler bounced back to take game two 5-0 in seven innings Saturday at Willie E. "Rat" McGowan Stadium.
 
The Braves (3-4) trailed 3-2 in game one when it batted around for 10 runs in the seventh. Junior Wallace Rios Jimenez got it started with a double and senior Walter Vives followed with a single. Junior Kirt Cormier recorded the go-ahead hit with a double down the right field line to put Alcorn ahead 4-3 with no outs.
 
The inning was just getting starting from there. Senior Patrick McMahon registered an RBI hit, and sophomore Brandon Barna put another on the board with a sacrifice fly to right field. One through the lineup, Vives came up again and singled to right field for an RBI. Senior Justin Barna delivered a big blow with a base-clearing three-RBI double to right center.
 
Alcorn added on with one more in the eighth inning on a single by senior Jason Sanez. It scored Brandon Barna who hit a one-out double down the left field line.
 
Sanez finished the game three-for-four with two runs and a pair of RBI. Rios also stood out with two hits, three RBI and a pair of runs scored. Eight of Alcorn's nine starters recorded a hit in the contest.
 
On the mound, junior Jahborus Smith got the start and allowed just one earned run in 4.0 innings. Junior Razedrick Winters (1-0) picked up the winning after striking out five in 3.2 innings. Brock Balderson (0-1) took the loss for Butler (5-2).
 
In game two, Butler's Connor Mitchell (1-0) threw a complete-game shutout and a one-hitter. He struck out 10.
 
Alcorn's lone hit in the game came in the second inning when junior Nicholas Hayes-Saltare ripped a base hit up the middle.
 
Senior Austin Willis-Greene got the start and struck out four batters in 5.0 innings. McMahon pitched 2.0 shutout innings in relief.
 
Junior A.J. Makarewicz did not play in game two, but tallied two hits in game one to extend his on-base streak to six games. Justin Barna also holds a six-game on-base streak after he drew a walk in game two.
 
Alcorn and Butler will complete the four-game series Sunday when they begin at 11:30 a.m.
 
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