Box Score BATON ROUGE, LA – In a wild back-and-forth contest featuring a combined 42 runs and 38 hits, Alcorn State baseball fell just short against Southern University, falling 23-19 on Saturday afternoon at Lee Hines Stadium. Despite a 22-hit explosion and a late-game rally, the Braves (5-26, 1-13 SWAC) were unable to overcome multiple big innings from the Jaguars (14-19, 6-8 SWAC).
Nathan Gamez put together a career day, going 5-for-6 with eight RBIs, including a double and four singles. Reyfield Adams III also turned in a dominant performance at the plate, finishing 5-for-7 with three RBIs and four runs scored.
Kanious Davis added four hits, while
Chance Jackson went 2-for-3 with two RBIs off the bench. Alcorn recorded six stolen bases and totaled 22 hits, its highest offensive output of the season.
The Braves led early and mounted a late push in the eighth inning to pull within one, but Southern responded with three runs in the bottom half to put the game out of reach.
GAME RECAP
First Three Innings – Southern 9, Alcorn 4
- Alcorn came out swinging, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning with RBI hits from Gamez and Jaylon Burrell.
- Southern answered with a five-run second inning and four more runs in the third, taking advantage of several hit batters and walks to build a five-run lead.
- Despite the deficit, Adams doubled in the second inning to drive in a run and keep Alcorn within striking distance.
Middle Innings – Southern 16, Alcorn 13
- Alcorn exploded for seven runs in the fifth inning, sparked by Gamez's two-run single and a two-RBI error by Southern's defense.
- Chance Jackson and Adams added RBI singles as Alcorn briefly regained momentum, cutting Southern's lead to just three.
- Southern responded with a four-run fifth inning and two more in the seventh, fueled by a triple and multiple stolen bases to retake control.
Late Innings – Southern 23, Alcorn 19
- The Braves continued to battle, scoring three runs in the eighth inning behind RBI hits from Gamez and Jackson to close the gap to 20-19.
- Southern answered with a passed ball, an RBI single, and a wild pitch to push their lead back to four runs.
- Alcorn had a runner reach third in the ninth but couldn't bring him home as Southern closed out the win.
BY THE NUMBERS
- 5-for-6 – Nathan Gamez led the Braves with a monster day at the plate, driving in eight runs.
- 5-for-7 – Reyfield Adams III recorded five hits, three RBIs, and four runs scored.
- 6 – Alcorn swiped six bases, aggressively putting pressure on Southern's defense.
- 22 – The Braves racked up 22 hits, their highest single-game total of the season.
- 8 – The Braves committed eight hit batters on the mound, contributing to Southern's scoring outbursts.
UP NEXT
Alcorn State (5-26, 1-13 SWAC) will look to bounce back and take the series finale against Southern University on Sunday, April 13, in Baton Rouge, LA. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. CST.
