MONTGOMERY, Ala. – A pair of runs in the first inning was enough for the Alcorn State University softball program to hold off Arkansas-Pine Bluff 2-1 Thursday at the 2019 SWAC Championships at the Barbara Williams Complex.
Â
The Lady Braves (13-23), the No. 3 seed from the East Division, scored two runs on RBI singles by sophomore
Amari Ramsey and senior
Victoria Tyler. UAPB (4-33), the No. 4 seed from the West Division, threatened late, but Alcorn made enough plays in the end to stay alive.
Â
"It was a close game, but the team did a great job today. It's normal to feel the pressure after the way things have been for us the last two years at the tournament, and that wore on us a little bit. Hopefully now we'll be able to exhale play more relaxed and keep playing tough softball," said Alcorn head coach
Josef Rankin.
Â
Senior
Paige Taylor, an All-Conference First-Team selection, allowed just one run in 5.1 innings. She struck out four to improve to 10-9 on the season. Junior
Ambria Dorsey earned her fourth save of the year after tossing 1.2 no-hit frames.
Â
Taylor's win was the 13th of her career. She's now tied for eighth all-time in school history in career wins in just two seasons.
Â
At the plate, juniors
Simone McKinney and
Brittney Triplett notched three-hits apiece. It was the ninth multi-hit game of the year, a team-high, for McKinney, who was selected to the All-Conference Second-Team.
Â
"Simone and Brittney did well. We moved Brittney down in the lineup to try and get her more relaxed. She tried to do a lot yesterday, but we were able to get on base today. Simone, Brittney and Desirea [Lindsey] all did a good job. We had base runners out there all game and that's what we've been asking for," Rankin said.
Â
With a hit in the game, Tyler is now tied for 10th all-time in career hits in the school record book with 117. She's also sixth in RBIs (78) and eighth in doubles (22).
Â
The Golden Lions were led by Alexandria Taylor who went 3-for-4 at the plate with a run scored. Karia Hall pitched a complete-game but took the loss.
Â
"Records don't matter when you get to this stage. Everyone is out there competing, and we're playing in elimination games where only one team can extend their season. UAPB was very tough. We had quite a few hits, but did what we needed to do to hold the lead," Rankin said.
Â
In Alcorn's first at-bat, McKinney led it off with a bunt single and advanced to third on a throwing error. Ramsey knocked her in with an RBI single to left to put the Lady Braves ahead 1-0. Back-to-back singles by freshman
Brooke Roach and Tyler made it 2-0.
Â
"We wanted to start fast today. Especially after getting shut out yesterday, we didn't want it to linger. We wanted to get some momentum early, and did a good job of coming out hot with some runs on the board," Rankin said.
Â
The Golden Lions were threatening in the top of the third inning with runners on second and third with one out. Taylor recorded a flyout to left field for the second out, and then a diving catch by sophomore
Malea Dickerson in right field saved two runs and got the Lady Braves out of the inning.
Â
UAPB got on the board in the fifth inning on two straight doubles, which trimmed Alcorn's lead to 2-1. After a sacrifice bunt, Taylor forced pop ups on the infield to Ramsey and Triplett to hold on to the lead.
Â
The Lady Braves had a chance to tack on insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth inning with the bases loaded and one out. However, UAPB's Hall was able to escape with a flyout to left and a ground out.
Â
The Golden Lions had one last opportunity in the seventh. After the leadoff batter reached on an error, she advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, and to third on a deep flyout to left. With two outs, a grounder was hit to second and sophomore
Ashley Arnold made the play to end the game.
Â
Alcorn will play again Friday against the loser of Alabama A&M and Prairie View A&M. With the postponement of Thursday afternoon's games due to weather, a start time for the Lady Braves is still to be determined.
Â
#FearTheBrave
Â
