Braves Score Early but Surrender Ninth Inning Rally

THIBODAUX, La. – The Alcorn State University baseball program led 5-0 after six innings and 6-4 after eight, but Nicholls State scored three in the bottom of the ninth to come back for a 7-6 result on Wednesday at Ray E. Didier Field.
 
Junior Wallace Rios Jimenez shined with a four-for-five night at the plate and three RBI. He upped his on-base streak to 21 games and his hitting-streak to six. Rios registered his eighth multi-hit game of the year and became the first Alcorn (7-17, 3-6 SWAC) student-athlete to notch four hits in a contest.
 
The 21-game on-base streak is tied for the league best with Wesley Drain from Grambling. Rios now holds a .351 batting average and .474 on-base percentage – both are team-bests.
 
Also with multi-hit games, junior Der'Vincent Hamilton and sophomore Brandon Barna each knocked a pair.
 
The Braves jumped on the Colonels (15-11, 5-4 SLC) early after loading the bases with no outs in the second. Junior Devin Walden drew an RBI walk, and Rios tallied a two-RBI single up the middle. Junior D'Vennio Warner got in on the action with a two-out single through the right side to make it 4-0.
 
Alcorn tacked on another in the third which increased the lead to 5-0 after taking advantage of a pair of miscues. Hamilton led off with a single to right field, moved to second on an error, stole third and scored on another error.
 
Junior Patrick McMahon made his first start of the season and pitched 6.0 innings of shutout ball. He gave up just five hits.
 
McMahon was pulled at the start of the seventh, and trouble started brewing. Nicholls scored four runs on three hits and an error to cut the deficit to 5-4.
 
The Braves added an insurance run in the eighth on a big two out hit by Rios. Senior Justin Barna had singled and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by junior Christian Acklin. He scored after Rios ripped one to right field.
 
The bottom of the ninth started sour as the Colonels got on base due to a throwing error in the infield. They followed with a single to right center and a bunt single to load up the bases with no outs. Joey Morales delivered a two-RBI double down the right field line to tie it 6-6. Quade Smith singled to right field to end the game.
 
Sophomore Conrado Skepple (0-1) was tagged with the loss. Adam Tarver (6-1) pitched the final 1.1 innings for Nicholls and was credited with the win.
 
The Braves will look to regroup this weekend when they resume conference play against preseason favorite Alabama State on the road. The three-game series will begin at 6 p.m. Friday.
 
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