Nicholls Grabs Mid-Week Tilt over Alcorn

LORMAN, Miss. – Despite out-hitting Nicholls 8-7, the Alcorn State University softball program left 12 runners on base and fell 7-0 Thursday at the Alcorn Softball Complex.
 
The Lady Braves (2-8) loaded the bases in each of the first two innings but couldn't cash-in with a timely hit. The Colonels (9-8) jumped ahead 4-0 in the second after scoring four runs on just one hit, a home run by Amanda Gianelloni.
 
Alcorn's first three hitters in the lineup combined to go 6-for-15 at the plate. Junior Simone McKinney registered a 3-for-4 day, while junior Brittney Triplett finished 2-for-4. Other hits came from senior Victoria Tyler, sophomore Amari Ramsey and freshman Sandrea Hord.
 
Junior Ambria Dorsey made the started and allowed just two earned runs in 4.0 innings. Senior Paige Taylor tossed the final 3.0 frames and also surrendered a couple runs.
 
Nicholls, which has wins this season over Southern Illinois, San Jose State, Southern Miss, Nevada, Houston, Louisiana-Monroe and Hofstra, used nearly its entire roster in the game. Alex LaBure picked up the winning after striking out eight batters in 5.0 innings.
 
The Lady Braves had a chance to get ahead early after Triplett and McKinney started it off with back-to-back singles. The duo moved up a base on a wild pitch, and sophomore Bri Smith Walked to load them up. However, LaBure was able to escape with a two-out groundout to second.
 
The Colonels took advantage of two errors, a walk and a home run in the second inning to go up 4-0.
 
Alcorn had a chance to trim it in the bottom half. With two outs, sophomore Desirea Lindsey walked, Triplett singled to left center and McKinney reached on an infield hit. Though, LaBure was again able to get out of a jam with a strikeout.
 
The Lady Braves made one last threat in the seventh. The inning started with a hit by McKinney and a walk by Tyler with no outs. Reliever Emily Danehower forced a pop up, strikeout and groundout to end the game.
 
The Lady Braves will remain at home Saturday when they host Texas A&M-Texarkana in a doubleheader beginning at noon.
 
Quoting Alcorn head coach Josef Rankin
On leaving runners on base and committing errors defensively
"It's been kind of the story we've had pretty much so far this season. We had a few games where we did okay, but we are not taking advantage of those opportunities from a production standpoint doing what we need to do offensively. The first and third situation defensively we worked on a lot yesterday because we knew it was going to happen, and then we didn't execute today. Again, the catching and throwing, that's the part that's getting frustrating because we do it in practice. It's a matter of bringing it to the game, and honestly, the numbers are now adding up. As they say, the numbers don't lie so eventually you get to a point where you're going to have to find a solution to make it work - if that means giving other people opportunities or moving some people around so be it, we've just got to find a way to where we are a whole lot better on defense."
 
On possibly shaking things up in the lineup
"We have some stuff we need to evaluate, some things we need to do to get better with it and we'll see what happens. We're just trying to get better and see how we can put a better product on the field."
 
On the top of the order getting hits
"The leadoff and two-hole hitters are doing what they need to do to get on base and we just got to come up with that timely hit."
 
On Ambria Dorsey's pitching performance
"She did well. The plan was for her to go four [innings] and then Paige [Taylor] finish. Both of them did well and both of them made the pitches. We just need to a better job behind them."
 
#FearTheBrave