JACKSON, Miss. – The Alcorn State University baseball program gave up 12 runs over the first four innings of play as Jackson State flipped the script from game two, cruising by the Braves 13-1 in seven.
Junior Micah Walker got one of the Braves two hits and only RBI on the afternoon, plating freshman Jaden Smith in the third. Junior Brandon Rembert notched the other hit with redshirt senior Kirt Cormier reaching base once on a walk.
Redshirt junior Joe Smith took the bump with one out in the third inning and proceeded to silence the Tigers' bats, tossing 3.2 innings of one-run ball and striking out three to stop the bleeding.
The Braves went down quietly in the top half of the first and Jackson State took advantage. Equon Smith got the Tigers offense going, singling up the middle before subsequently stealing two bags (his 20th and 21st steals of 2019) and scoring on an infield single. Three more runners would cross to give JSU a momentum shifting four-run opening frame, 4-0 Jackson State.
A leadoff walk by Kirt Cormier was all Alcorn could put together in the second, while Jackson State repeated its effort from the inning prior, putting up four runs in back-to-back innings to begin the ballgame, 8-0 JSU.
Jaden Smith gave the Braves a boost with a hard-earned seven-pitch walk to begin the third, making his way to third base after consecutive groundouts. Micah Walker delivered with two outs to help Alcorn avoid the shutout, scooting a groundball past the shortstop to make it 8-1. The home nine put yet another four-spot on the board in the third to widen the sizeable gap to 12-1 Tigers.
The blue and gray would add one final run in the fourth to stroll away with a 13-1 series-clinching victory with Alcorn dropping to 2-9 in SWAC play.
Senior Bukhari Brown (2-4) wore the loss, giving up 12 runs and 12 hits in 2.1 innings of work.
Alcorn baseball will return to the Jackson area on Tuesday as the Braves face off against Tougaloo College at 4 p.m.
Quoting Alcorn head coach Bretton Richardson
Opening Statement
"It started in the first inning, we got two outs and a runner on second base. We had the guy picked off at third base, third baseman dropped the ball. Very next play, groundball to my shortstop, he took all day thinking he was going to be able to get rid of the ball and the guy beats it, and thus it began. Tried to tell these guys about coming out ready to play today, matching their intensity and focus but we just have to give credit to Jackson State, they were better than we were today."
On Bukhari Brown's Outing
"We didn't do things, the first inning set the entire tone for the whole game. For him, he's not a guy who's going to strike a lot of guys out, he relies on contact, putting the ball in play and us making the plays behind him. We didn't and so therefore he had a rough outing but again tip your hat to Jackson State."
On How The Team Played This Weekend
"We should've came out and put a zero up in that first inning. That makes it an entirely different ballgame. We put 18 runs on them last night and they sit back on pins and needles, then we give them things to give them some motivation and momentum, that's why the score ended up the way it did. We've got to find a way to make sure that when we hit this field, we're ready to play and as a head coach that's my job."
#FearTheBrave
