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LORMAN, Miss. – The Alcorn State University baseball program is back in action Tuesday as the team hosts Grambling State in a non-conference meeting at Willie E. "Rat" McGowan Stadium. The game is scheduled for a 6 p.m. first pitch.
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The contest marks the fourth time the teams have squared off this season. Alcorn and GSU played in the final game of the Andre Dawson Classic on Feb. 18, with the Tigers (21-19, 13-8 SWAC) holding on for a 6-5 final. The Black and Gold then took a pair of games 12-5 and 8-7 in Ruston, La. on March 13-14.
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Alcorn won a pivotal East Division matchup 2-1 over Mississippi Valley State this past weekend. The Braves (10-29, 5-13) took the series opener 11-4 on Friday and won the finale 11-10 in 10 innings Saturday on a Der'Vincent Hamilton walkoff single. The teams played a doubleheader in anticipation of inclement weather Sunday.
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Junior pitcher Carlos Lopez (3-2) was named the SWAC Pitcher of the Week Monday for his performance in Friday's victory. The junior from Barranquitas, Puerto Rico tossed 7.0 innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits and didn't give up any free bases. Lopez threw 108 pitches and faced 27 batters, fanning nine of them, while holding opposing batters to a .138 average.
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Alcorn is led at the plate by Justin Barna's .295 average. Hamilton follows at .271, while Kyle Jenkins and Wallace Rios Jimenez are both hitting .256. Hamilton has a team-high 36 hits. Barna, Rios Jimenez, and Hunter Wilson all have 33 hits. Jenkins leads the team with 15 extra-base hits, Wilson has brought in 27 runs, and Rios Jimenez has drawn 37 walks. Devin Walden has stolen 11 bases in 17 attempts.
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On the defensive side, Jenkins has recorded 213 putouts with 22 assists and four errors for a .983 fielding percentage. Barna follows with 118 putouts, nine assists, and four errors (.969).
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Joe Smith (1-0) leads the bullpen with a 3.63 ERA and has pitched 17.1 innings across 10 innings of relief. Lopez owns a 5.04 ERA through nine starts and leads the league with 64 strikeouts. Jahborus Smith (2-8) has a 6.39 ERA after throwing 50.2 innings in 10 starts and 12 appearances. The senior out of Columbia, Miss. has one save and is second in the SWAC in punchouts at 56. Razedrick Winters (1-2) picked up his first win of the season after pitching 0.2 innings and striking out one of the two batters he faced in Game Three versus the Delta Devils. The Jackson, Miss. native has three saves and is at a 9.27 ERA in 22.1 innings of relief and 14 appearances.
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The Tigers enter Tuesday's contest ranked second in the league's West Division behind Texas Southern. GSU has won five of its past seven games, including a pair of 2-1 SWAC series wins over Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Southern.
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GSU has five players batting over .300: Drexler Macaay leads the team with a .414 average, Marshawn Taylor leads is hitting .401, Rafael Ramirez III is at .371, Richard Ortiz bats .331, and Isaiah follows with a .321. Taylor is second in the league with 65 hits and three triples and ranks third in runs scored at 41. Ramirez III has brought in 52 runs and is second in the SWAC with 12 home runs. Taylor has swiped 17 bags in 21 attempts.
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In the field, Trevin Bolden owns 299 putouts with 12 assists and an error for a .997 fielding percentage. Richard Ortiz contributes 135 putouts with 38 assists and six errors (.966). GSU's bullpen is led by Kaelin Woodard's 4.50 ERA across 12.0 innings and 11 relief appearances. Daniel Beizer (5-1) follows with a 4.81 ERA and five saves. Raul Baduel (4-2) has a 5.62 ERA in nine starts and 12 appearances with one complete game. He and Christian Marquez (4-1) lead the Tigers with 33 strikeouts each.
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