Braves Unable to Solve ASU Pitching in SWAC Opener

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Alcorn State University baseball program could not crack Alabama State's ace pitcher as the Hornets (6-4, 1-0 SWAC) took game one of a three-game conference series 5-0 Friday night at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex.
 
Wallace Rios Jimenez and A.J. Makarewicz both hit 1-for-3 with a walk for Alcorn's two hits in the game. In the field, Hunter Wilson had 10 putouts with an assist and Kyle Jenkins also finished with 10 putouts.
 
Carlos Lopez (1-1) took the loss after giving up three runs, two of them earned, on four hits and three walks. The junior out of Barranquitas, Puerto Rico threw five complete innings and recorded 10 strikeouts for the third time this season. Zachary Perez took over in the bottom of the sixth and gave up two runs on three hits and a walk. He recorded one punch out in his 3.0 innings of relief.
 
Rios Jimenez led off the game with a single through the right side. After the next two Alcorn batters were retired, the senior second baseman advanced to second on a wild pitch. The Braves (4-6, 0-1 SWAC) were unable to capitalize, however. In the bottom half of the inning, the Hornets put a runner on with a one-out single to left center. The next ASU batter reached on a fielding error to put runners on the corners. A single up the middle then gave the hosts an early 1-0 lead.
 
Alcorn had another opportunity with two outs in the third. Rios Jimenez drew a walk and Makarewicz moved him up with a single. The pair then reached second and third on a wild pitch, but the hosts induced a fly out to escape the frame.
 
ASU extended its lead with two runs in the fifth and another two in the sixth. After the Hornets brought in Dalton Wilder to close the ninth, Rios Jimenez reached on a fielding error by the ASU second baseman and took second on another wild pitch. Makarewicz then walked to put two on, but Wilder got Der'Vincent Hamilton swinging for the first out of the inning. A second wild pitch gave Alcorn runners on the corners, but Wilson popped up to second and Jenkins was rung up to bring the game to a close.
 
Game two of the series is scheduled for a 6 p.m. first pitch Saturday.
 
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