Alcorn Cruises to 10-1 Victory over GSU

GRAMBLING, La. – The offense erupted and the defense was strong for the Alcorn State University softball program on Friday as it slugged past Grambling State 10-1 at the GSU Softball Complex.
 
Alcorn (3-14, 1-3 SWAC) registered 15 hits and held GSU (12-10, 0-4 SWAC) to just three. The Lady Braves registered a season-high 26 total bases.
 
Sophomore Amari Ramsey turned in a big 3-for-4 day and was just a triple short of the cycle. She hit a two-run homer and also scored two runs. Junior Eva Scott was also 3-for-4 with a triple, RBI and run scored.
 
Additional multi-hit games came from freshman Brooke Roach, junior Simone McKinney and sophomore Malea Dickerson. Roach hit her first career homer and also tallied three RBIs. Dickerson finished 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored.
 
In the circle, junior Ambria Dorsey twirled a complete-game to earn the win. She struck out five and allowed just three hits.
 
"Today was good. We finally put it all together. We swung the bats well with double-digit hits," said Alcorn head coach Josef Rankin. "Ambria pitched extremely well and we played great defense behind her. As a coach, it's just great to see your team having fun and enjoying a win. I am really proud of them. That just needs to carry over. Like I told the team afterwards – maybe we can exhale now and just play and see what happens."
 
The Lady Braves got on the board first in the second inning. It came on Roach's homer to left-center to put the team up 1-0.
 
Alcorn took total control with five runs in the third to lead 6-0. Scott led it off with a triple to left-center, and junior Brittney Triplett delivered the first blow with an RBI single to left. More RBIs came on a sacrifice by Roach, a double by Dickerson and a single by Ramsey.
 
GSU got one back in the third inning, but the Lady Braves responded with one in the sixth to stay in front 7-1. It came on an RBI single to left by Scott, which plated Ramsey who doubled and advanced to third on a wild pitch.
 
The Lady Braves put the nail in the coffin with three runs in the seventh. After Roach doubled down the left field line, Dickerson singled to score a run. Ramsey then cleared the bases with her second homer of the year.
 
Ramsey's homer was the eighth of her career. It moves her into a tie for 10th place all-time in the Alcorn record book.
 
GSU was led by McKenzie Johnson who went 1-for-3 with an RBI. D'Mario Matthews threw a complete-game and struck out four, but surrendered 10 runs on 15 hits.
 
Alcorn has outscored the opposition 13-2 in the seventh inning this year. The Lady Braves improved to 28-16 all-time against GSU and 4-1 under Rankin.
 
"Now, we need to get some rest and work hard to take game two tomorrow at 12," Rankin said.
 
The two teams will close out the series Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at noon.

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