TOUGALOO, Miss. – The Alcorn State University baseball program drew nine walks, stole six bases and got clutch hits from juniors Edward Jackson, Jordan McGowan and Trey Covert to rally past Tougaloo 6-4 on Tuesday afternoon.
Edward Jackson had only one hit but it was possibly the biggest of the ballgame, rocketing a bases clearing three-RBI double in the fifth to trim the deficit to 4-3 and swing the momentum in the Braves' favor.
Trey Covert was the other Alcorn hitter to record multiple RBIs, as he was hit by pitch with the bases loaded and later smoked an RBI single to left to pad the team's lead in the ninth. Covert also contributed on the base paths, stealing two bases.
Jordan McGowan's lone base knock turned out to be the game-winner, as his hard shot into the shortstop-third base hole brought in the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh.
Senior Brendly Martina did not bat once in the entire contest but was lethal as a pinch runner. Since NAIA rules allow for pinch-runners to be used multiple times per game, Martina came in on two separate occasions and twice swiped second base before scoring both times.
After an opening groundout to begin the ballgame, junior Micah Walker showed great patience with a four-pitch walk and Kirt Cormier singled through the right side but they were left stranded. Tougaloo College struck first in the bottom half, with three groundball singles through the infield and three runs on the board to take the lead, 3-0 Bulldogs.
Back-to-back walks from juniors Kyle Jenkins and Jamey Fabre got the second inning started with a sacrifice bunt by freshman Jaden Smith to advance the runners to second and third with one down. However, a grounder to shortstop yielded a tagout of the baserunner as he passed by and an inning-ending double play to keep the score at 3-0.
After senior starter Tyler Smith got a quick 1-2-3, Micah Walker reached base once again in the third, smacking a single to left and advancing to second after an error by the outfielder. Walker was left 90 feet from home after a strikeout and groundout kept the Braves scoreless. Alcorn had more opportunities to breakthrough with the bases loaded and one out in the fourth but a strikeout and groundout saw the Bulldogs escape danger once again.
The bottom half of the fourth saw Tougaloo College push another run across to swell the advantage to 4-0 in favor of the red and blue. The Braves finally came through in the clutch during the top of the fifth. Jackson smoked a ball into the right-center gap with the bases loaded for a three-RBI double to put the Braves right back in the thick of it, 4-3 Bulldogs.
The next threat that the purple and gold posed happened in the top of the seventh when back-to-back walks by junior Brandon Rembert and Kyle Jenkins and a hit by pitch for Jaden loaded the bases with two outs. Covert would step to the dish and take one for the team, taking a fastball off the helmet to bring in the tying run and make it a 4-4 contest.
McGowan would put Alcorn ahead for the first time, roping a groundball deep into the hole on the left side of the infield to score one and put the Braves in front 5-4 heading into the seventh inning stretch. Trey Covert added an insurance in the top of the ninth to widen the gap to 6-4 Alcorn.
Sophomore Jacob Kieffer, who relieved Tyler Smith with two on and no outs in the sixth, neutralized the Bulldogs lineup over three spectacular innings of work, holding Tougaloo scoreless while only allowing one hit and fanning two batters.
Junior Austin Atwood came in for the bottom of the ninth and made quick work of the home nine, inducing a stress-free 1-2-3 inning to pick up the save and give the boys from Lorman a 6-4 win.
Kieffer (1-3) earned the win and Atwood continued to dominate in late-game situations with his fifth save of 2019.
Alcorn baseball comes home for a four-game homestand, beginning with a three-game series against the Alabama A&M Bulldogs. First pitch for Friday's series opener will be at 6 p.m. from Willie E. "Rat" McGowan Stadium.
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