MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Alcorn State University baseball program gave up three or more runs in three separate innings as Alabama State cruised to a 14-6 series-opening victory.
Junior catcher Kyle Jenkins tied for the team lead with his fourth home run of the season on Friday night. Jenkins also drove in two RBIs, scored three runs and went 2-for-4 on the night.
Freshman Tristin Garcia and senior Kirt Cormier both picked up their second triples of the year to go along with two hits each. Cormier added an RBI and two walks to his performance while Garcia returned to the lineup after sitting out the last four games with an injury.
Juniors Edward Jackson and Trey Covert as well as freshman Jaden Smith notched the Braves' other three RBIs in the ballgame with Smith swiping his second bag of 2019.
Both squads were stifled in the opening frame before Alcorn found a way to strike first as Cormier tripled home Jenkins and Jackson brought Cormier home to open a 2-0 cushion in the second.
Alabama State quickly took the lead away with three runs in the bottom half with the big blow coming off the bat of Yamil Pagan courtesy of a two-run shot to left as the Hornets went ahead 3-2. The next inning saw ASU build upon its advantage, pushing two more across to make it 5-2 after three.
Both starters calmed down after the third as Senior Bukhari Brown and the Hornets' Jeremy Rivera tossed scoreless fourth and fifth innings. Alcorn jumped right back into the contest with a two-run sixth via RBI singles by Jaden Smith and Trey Covert to trim the deficit to 5-4.
The wheels fell off the bus for Alcorn in the bottom of the sixth as the black and gold dropped a six-spot on the Braves to swell the margin to 11-4 Hornets.
The visitors from Lorman responded with a two-run round-tripper by Kyle Jenkins in the seventh but the Braves were held scoreless over the final two innings and ASU tacked on three more in the eighth to take the first game of the four-game series, 14-6.
Bukhari Brown (2-5) got the loss, throwing 5.2 innings while allowing nine runs (seven earned) on nine hits and striking out three.
Alcorn baseball will take part in a doubleheader tomorrow afternoon as the Hornets and Braves will play at 2 and 6 p.m. from the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex.
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