Game Notes | Live Stats
LORMAN, Miss. – The Alcorn State University baseball program hosts its first conference series of the season this weekend as the team takes on Jackson State at Willie E. "Rat" McGowan Stadium. Friday's game is scheduled for a 6 p.m. first pitch, Saturday a 3 p.m. start, and Sunday's game will begin at 1 p.m.
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Saturday's contest will be a Purple Out for Alcorn. Fans are encouraged to show their support by filling the stands in their purple Alcorn attire.
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The Braves (6-14, 1-5 SWAC) are looking to snap a three-game losing streak after losses at Mississippi State and Tougaloo to start the week. The team is coming off a 9-1 final at TC on Wednesday in a game where Alcorn was held to just six hits.
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Kyle Jenkins leads the Braves at the plate with a .279 batting average. Close behind at .273 is
Hunter Wilson,
Justin Barna, and
Brendly Martina. Wilson has a team-high 18 hits and 18 RBIs. Defensively, the junior first baseman has 105 putouts with eight assists. Jenkins adds 101 putouts with 12 assists.
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Alcorn's bullpen is led by
Jahborus Smith (2-2), who has a 4.50 ERA with a save in four starts and five appearances, and
Joe Smith (1-0), who also owns a 4.50 ERA and has thrown 10.0 innings of relief.
Razedrick Winters (0-1) is at a 4.80 ERA with a pair of saves in 15.0 innings of relief.
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The Tigers (14-6, 6-3) sit atop the east division entering the weekend. JSU dropped a three-game conference series at Alabama State 2-1 last weekend but rebounded with a 4-3 victory over Southeastern Louisiana Wednesday. Down to their final three outs and trailing 3-2, the host Tigers tied the game on a single through the left side. JSU loaded the bases and got the winning run across the plate on a wild pitch.
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JSU is paced offensively by Raul Hernandez's .400 batting average. Behind him are Wesley Reyes at .364, Jarvis Warner at .350, and Josh Crispin at .345. Hernandez has a team-high 30 hits while Jesus Santana owns 19 RBIs. In the field, Hernandez has been responsible for 117 putouts with nine assists, while Stephan Vidal has posted 111 with 18 assists.
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Jose Tirado (1-1) leads the Tiger bullpen with a 0.48 ERA and six saves in 18.2 innings pitched and 11 appearances. Mark Watson (2-1) has made five starts and seven appearances for a 1.73 ERA with one complete-game shutout. Nikelle Galatas (5-0) owns a 2.05 ERA in 30.2 innings of work.
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JSU was picked to finish second in the east division in the SWAC Preseason Coaches' Poll and earned Preseason All-SWAC First Team selections in Santana and outfielder Lamar Briggs. The Tigers won both regular-season meetings with the Braves last year with a pair of 2-1 series decisions.
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#FearTheBrave
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