Lady Braves Drop Two Saturday in Vicksburg

VICKSBURG, Miss. – A big day from senior Brittney Triplett wasn't enough for the Alcorn State University softball program on Saturday as it fell to Miles College 4-2 and Southern 8-6 at Sports Force Parks.
 
"Today wasn't a good day in terms of coming to the field and playing to a certain standard. We were sleepwalking for a lot of the day," said Alcorn head coach Josef Rankin. "Miles made the plays they needed to win, but we have to make sure we are playing to the standard and not the scoreboard. The opponent can't matter. The score can't matter. The standard has to be what matters."
 
From the leadoff spot, Triplett turned in a 5-for-7 day with a walk, four RBIs and a run scored. She hit an inside-the-park homer against the Jaguars.
 
"I'm not going to say much about game two because the elements outside of your players and your opponents have to be better. Those elements can't be what's talked about because that takes away from those young ladies who are out there representing their programs," Rankin said.
 
Alcorn announced a schedule change as its game against SIU-Edwardsville on Sunday has been canceled. The Lady Braves will just play one game tomorrow against Miles College at 2 p.m.
 
Game One
The Lady Braves fell behind early as Miles took a 2-0 lead on just one hit in the second innings. The Golden Bears added another in the third to go up 3-0 on an error.
 
Alcorn got on the board in the fourth. It came on an RBI single by sophomore Sandrea Hord to left field over the shortstop's head to plate junior Amari Ramsey who led it off with a walk.
 
After Miles got one back in the fifth, the Lady Braves answered with a bases loaded hit-by-pitch by Hord to make it a 4-2 game. Alcorn still had the bases loaded with one out, by Magen Rich from Miles was able to get out of the jam with back-to-back pop ups.
 
Alcorn had one last shot in the seventh after a leadoff single by Triplett, but a pair of fly outs and a lineout ended the game.
 
Freshman Kiri Parker threw 6.0 innings and struck out three. She gave up three earned runs. Senior Alexsis Ramirez pitched a scoreless from in the seventh and got out of a jam of runners on second and third with one out.
 
Triplett was 2-for-3 at the plate with a walk. Ramsey tallied a hit, a walk and scored two runs. Hord was 1-for-2 with two RBIs.
 
Rich threw a complete-game for Miles and allowed just two runs.
 
Game Two
Alcorn again found itself in an early hole as the Jaguars scored two runs in the first inning, and they stormed out to a 6-0 lead after five at-bats.
 
The Lady Braves got back in it in the fifth. With the bases loaded, senior Ambria Dorsey scored from third on a wild pitch. With two outs, Triplett cleared the bases with a three-run inside-the-park homer to trim the deficit to 6-4.
 
The Jaguars tacked-on two insurance runs in the sixth to go up 8-4. It came on just one hit, an RBI single by Aubrion James.
 
The Lady Braves made some noise in the bottom of the seventh. With two outs, senior Simone McKinney doubled to left field to score junior Ashley Arnold from first. Triplett kept it going with a single up the middle to score McKinney and cut it to 8-6. Though, the game ended on a ground out to first.
 
Sophomore Brenn Ursin got the start and threw 5.0 innings. She struck out three and allowed three earned runs. Ramirez tossed the final 2.0 frames.
 
Triplett was 3-for-4 with a run and four RBIs. Arnold and McKinney also turned in multi-hit games and both went 2-of-3 with two runs scored.
 
"We must learn from today. It's imperative that we take the lessons from today and let them make us better, and I mean make," Rankin said. "We have to bring that juice I saw at the end of that game for every pitch from start to finish!"
 
#FearTheBrave