Baseball | 3/18/2021 2:52:00 PM

Baseball Braves Look To Get Back On Track In Huntsville

LORMAN, Miss. – The Alcorn State University baseball program will try to reverse the fortunes of last weekend when they travel to Alabama A&M for a three-game series beginning Friday afternoon.
 
The Braves (3-4, 3-3 SWAC) has seen its scoring average dip over the past four ballgames but it still ranks among the best in the business, posting 7.6 runs a contest to rank in the NCAA's low 40's plus second in the league behind JSU.
 
Hurler Jose Fernandez is one of only 21 players in the country with a perfect ERA of triple zeroes, making two starts with 13.0 combined innings pitched, striking out 12 and allowing three unearned runs while holding opposing hitters to a meager 0.213 batting average against.
 
Tristin Garcia has made a habit of smashing baseballs as he is most definitely one of the most underrated players in the SWAC, let alone the NCAA. He ranks top-25 in both batting average (.464) and hits per game (1.86), top-35 for on-base percentage (.559), is the toughest player to strikeout in the conference (9.3) and slots at second in the SWAC for slugging percentage (.643).
 
Khalil Smith has been the table setter in the leadoff spot for the Purple and Gold, using his speed and keen eyesight to do damage when he reaches first. Smith leads the SWAC in runs (1.71) and walks (1.14) per game to place 12th and 21st nationally, respectively.
 
Jarius Colley is tied with Garcia for the best run producer on the squad, knocking in an average of 1.43 RBIs a night to slot among the NCAA's top-45.

Scouting the Alabama A&M Bulldogs (0-5, 0-0 SWAC)

The Bulldogs are one of the last remaining SWAC schools to not play a conference game as this will be its league opener. They have faced a daunting slate of Auburn and UAB, getting swept in both.
 
Dillon Roop might have only two hits but he's made them both two-baggers, as he's second in the Southwestern Athletic Conference with 0.40 doubles per game and is the only AAMU player with multiple extra base hits.
 
In the all-time series between the Baseball Braves and Diamond Dawgs, Alcorn holds a sizable lead at 98-42 over 140 matchups.
 
#FearTheBrave