HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – By splitting a doubleheader at Alabama A&M, the Alcorn State University softball program wrapped-up the SWAC East Division crown Saturday at Bulldog Field.
The Lady Braves (15-24, 12-3 SWAC) dropped the first game 6-3 but came back to win the second 3-2. They won the series after beating the Bulldogs (13-25, 6-8 SWAC) 10-4 on Friday.
Alcorn is three games ahead of Alabama State in the loss column. Thus, even if the Lady Braves get swept by Mississippi Valley State next weekend and the Hornets win-out, Alcorn has the head-to-head tiebreak over ASU. The Lady Braves swept the Hornets last weekend.
By reaching base in both games Saturday, junior
Taylor Hughes increased her on-base streak to 14 games.
Junior
Mariah Ortiz recorded multi-hit games in both contests. She combined to go four-for-eight with a run scored.
"Today was good for us. Our goal is to win each series and that's what we accomplished. We weren't as sound defensively in game one, but we bounced back and won another close game. That's very good for us moving forward," said Alcorn head coach
Josef Rankin. "Sometimes you just have to find ways to win. I'm very proud of this group. We are getting the program where it needs to be. We clinched the top spot in the division after being picked third preseason."
Game One
The Lady Braves struck first with a run in their first at-bat. Ortiz tripled to center field and scored on a sacrifice fly to left by
Jessica Crum.
Alcorn made it 2-0 in the second on an error. After senior
Montana Holyfield singled to right and advanced to second on a ground out. Senior
Adriana Gutierrez hit a ground ball that resulted in an error at second base which scored Holyfield.
In the fourth inning, Holyfield led-off with a double. She scored on the next at-bat as sophomore
Victoria Tyler laced a ball into center to pick up an RBI and up the lead to 3-0.
The Bulldogs came back with four runs in the fifth inning. It came on four hits and an error. AAMU added two more in the sixth on four hits to lead 6-3.
Along with Ortiz, both Holyfield and Tyler tallied a pair of hits in the game. It was Holyfield's sixth multi-hit game of the year and Tyler's eighth.
Junior
Madi Creed got the start in the circle and took the loss despite pitching all six innings. She struck out four.
Caitlyn Hayden earned the win for AAMU after throwing a complete-game. She allowed eight hits and two earned runs. Imani Largin led the Bulldogs at the plate with a three-for-three game with two runs scored.
Game Two
Like the first game, the Lady Braves scored a run in each of the first two innings. Senior
Sametria Collins led-off the game with a double to left field and moved to third on a hit by Ortiz. Hughes grounded out to second, but grabbed an RBI after Collins scored.
In the second, a two-out RBI by Collins made it 2-0. It scored Tyler who started the frame with a walk and advanced on a hit to the left by senior
Catherine Gore.
Alcorn tacked on one more run in the fourth. Gutierrez doubled to left and stole third. She came home on an RBI ground out by Collins.
The Bulldogs responded with two runs in the bottom of the fourth to cut the deficit to 3-2 but could not come any closer.
Freshman
Ambria Dorsey fired a complete-game and earned the win. She is now 3-0 in conference with a 1.77 ERA.
Rachel Sanders also threw a complete-game for the Bulldogs despite allowing 10 hits and took the loss.
Alcorn outhit AAMU 10-7. The Lady Braves did not make an error defensively.
Up Next
The Lady Braves will host Mississippi State at 3 p.m. on Tuesday. They will play their final home games next weekend in a three-game set against MVSU beginning on Friday at 2:30 p.m.
#FearTheBrave
