MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Alcorn State University baseball program had a huge day offensively but the Hornets bats overpowered the Braves pitching staff in a 23-15 defeat in which Alabama State earned a four-game sweep.
Junior Brandon Rembert and Senior Kirt Cormier both went yard for the Braves as they each had a two-run shot. Rembert accumulated a season-best three runs scored, four hits and four RBIs on the day and Cormier set new season-highs in runs scored (3) and walks (3) as well.
Freshman Tristin Garcia had an efficient afternoon, going 4-for-6 with a double and three runs scored. Senior Brandon Barna punctuated the team's affinity for triples over the four-game series, as his team-leading third triple of the season gave the Braves five over the weekend.
Alcorn held the Hornets in check during the top half of the first and used a two-run homer from Rembert plus Barna scoring on a passed ball to get the Braves off to a good start at 3-0 after one.
Alabama State immediately one-upped Alcorn's run total, placing a three-spot of its own in the top of the second and adding one more in the third to move in front 4-3 heading into the Braves half of the third.
Alcorn provided an immediate rebuttal in the bottom of the third as Jenkins had an RBI groundout, junior Jordan McGowan provided an RBI fielder's choice and Cormier scored on the ensuing delayed steal to reclaim the advantage, 6-4 Alcorn.
The fourth inning was a wild ride from start to finish as the top half saw the Hornets score nine runs on five hits and take back the lead once again at 13-6. The Braves countered in the bottom with five runs coming home including an RBI single from Rembert and a two-run long bomb from Cormier to shrink the gap back down to two at 13-11 Alabama State.
The offensive explosion from the fourth was carried over to the fifth for the black and gold as eight more Hornets came around to score to swell the margin back up to a comfortable ten-run cushion for Alabama State, 21-11.
Alcorn pitching would quiet the ASU bats over the next two frames, holding Hornets hitters scoreless while the purple and gold pushed across a run in both the sixth and seventh to keep the game going at 21-13 Alabama State.
A two-run shot by Alabama State's Cristopher DeGuzman in the top of the eighth rounded out the scoring for the Hornets with 23 while two runs off a Barna triple and a single from junior Micah Walker capped Alcorn's run total at 15. After the 23-15 loss, Alcorn dropped to 4-13 in the SWAC while Alabama State improved to 14-3 to further solidify its stranglehold of first in the East.
Freshman Roderick Hammond (0-1) received the loss, throwing 2.0 innings while surrendering eight runs on five hits and striking out five.
Alcorn baseball faces the SWAC West Division leaders on Tuesday when it heads to Baton Rouge to take on the Southern Jaguars.
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