LORMAN, Miss. – After Tougaloo College scored four runs in the top of the first inning and led 5-0 through two and a half, the Alcorn State University baseball program rallied for a 10-6 comeback win Wednesday afternoon at Willie E. "Rat" McGowan Stadium. The game marked the home opener for the Braves, who improve to 5-8 overall.
Brandon Barna led Alcorn's bats as the junior outfielder hit 2-for-4 with an inside-the-park homerun, three RBIs, and a run in the DH spot. Brother
Justin Barna finished 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI, a walk, and a pair of runs.
Der'Vincent Hamilton also went 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBIs, and a run.
Wallace Rios Jimenez had a 1-for-3 effort with two RBIs, a walk, and a pair of runs.
Tyler Smith (1-0) picked up the win after entering the game in the top of the sixth with the game even at 5-5. The junior lefty out of Vicksburg, Miss. faced 14 batters and struck out three in 4.0 innings of relief. He gave up one run on two hits, including a solo homerun, for a 5.06 ERA.
George Osborne III got the no decision after allowing five runs, two of them earned, on four hits and three walks. He faced 25 batters through 5.0 innings and struck out three Bulldogs (6-11).
Tougaloo jumped out to an early lead with four runs on three hits and three hits and as many errors in the top of the first. The Bulldogs then brought in another run in the third as Lige Mims, Jr. walked and stole both second and third. Robert Lard reached on an error by
A.J. Makarewicz, and Mims tagged up on the throw to first.
Alcorn finally got going in the third as the Braves loaded the bases with two outs.
Nicholas Hayes-Saltare reached on an error by the shortstop, allowing Rios Jimenez to cross the plate. The Purple and Gold then added another run in the fourth after
Devin Walden singled, stole second, and was moved up on a Makarewicz sacrifice bunt. Rios Jimenez grounded out 4-3 as Walden cut the TC lead to 5-2.
The Braves pulled even with three runs in the fifth. Hamilton was hit by a pitch to lead off and
Hunter Wilson singled to left. After a 5-3 groundout put the pair in scoring position, B. Barna took his first pitch to deep left and touched every bag as the TC fielder couldn't make the catch.
Makarewicz walked to start the bottom of the sixth and reached second as Rios Jimenez grounded out to the pitcher. Back-to-back doubles by J. Barna and Hamilton then gave the home team a 7-5 advantage. The Bulldogs pulled to within a run as Mims hit a solo shot over the left-field fence in the seventh, but the Braves brought in three more in the eighth for the final tally. Alcorn retired the side in order in the top of the ninth.
Alcorn is off this weekend and will head to Grambling State next Tuesday and Wednesday for a pair of non-conference meetings with the Tigers. Both games at J.C. Love Field are scheduled for a 6 p.m. start.
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