Braves Softball Splits Home Doubleheader

LORMAN, Miss. – Ka'Miya Dillon tallied three hits across two games Tuesday afternoon as Alcorn Softball split its season home-opening doubleheader with Dillard University at Alcorn Softball Complex in Lorman, Mississippi. Alcorn took the opening game 5-3, before ultimately dropping the nightcap 12-8.
 
ALCORN 5, DILLARD (La.) 3
Yahnya Acevedo and Ka'Miya Dillon each registered a multi-hit, multi-RBI game as Alcorn took the opening game of a non-conference softball doubleheader with visiting Dillard (La.) on Tuesday afternoon at Alcorn Softball Complex in Lorman, Mississippi.
 
Alcorn (7-7) broke the deadlock in the home-half of the third inning with Sanai Salvant's sacrifice bunt out in front of the plate. That was enough to drive home Ka'Miya Dillon who singled to center to leadoff the Braves at-bat.
 
Leading 1-0 entering the bottom of the third, the Braves tacked on another two runs.
 
Yahnya Acevedo singled and stole second before Paris Thompson walked and Chiara Olison was hit by a pitch to load the bases with two outs. A Dillon double down the line in left plated Thompson and Acevedo for the 3-0 Alcorn lead.
 
Dillard (4-6) put a run on the board in the top of the fifth as the Bleu Devils took advantage of a Haley Weatherspoon single to lead off, followed by a sacrifice bunt and Kyiera Torrence single at the top of the order to move across Weatherspoon and bring Dillard within 3-1.
 
Alcorn made it 5-1 in the bottom of the frame as Acevedo bagged her first triple of the season to plate Olivia Miller and Salvant. However, the Braves left fielder would be thrown out at the plate trying to stretch the play into what would have been her second inside-the-park home run of the campaign.
 
The Bleu Devils would grab two runs in the top of the sixth to make It 5-3.
 
After Kylie Price was hit by a pitch, first baseman Ja'Lise Stewart knocked out her first home run of the year with a shot to deep left.
 
The win went to Alcorn reliever Olison (5-3) as she worked five innings out of the bullpen. She allowed three runs on three hits in her time on the rubber. Se'Marai Smith was the starter for the Braves, throwing the first two innings without factoring into the decision. The loss was tagged to Dillard's Mary-Elizabeth Landry (1-3) as she went the distance in the circle, being struck for five runs on six hits, four walks and bagging seven strikeouts.
 
Inside the Box Score
• Se'Marai Smith walked three and fanned one while giving up a single hit in the starting job in the circle for the Braves.
• Yahnya Acevedo registered her first triple of the season, finishing the game 2-for-3 with two RBIs and one run.
• Ka'Miya Dillon was also 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBIs and a run scored.
• Rajayla McBride picked up her first double of the season, while Dillon had her second of the campaign.
• Acevedo also swiped her team-leading eighth stolen base of the year.
 
DILLARD (LA.) 12, ALCORN 8
Dillard University scored four runs in the top of the fourth inning to erase an early deficit and earn a doubleheader split with Alcorn courtesy a 12-8 victory in the nightcap Tuesday afternoon at Alcorn Softball Complex in Lorman, Mississippi.
 
Dillard (5-6) erased an early deficit with an explosive five-run second inning.
 
A bases loaded walk drawn by Amayiah Franklin forced in Ja'Lise Stewart to knot the game at 1-1. The Bleu Devils forged ahead with an Alainah Felton wild pitch, allowing Haley Weatherspoon to score. The lead became 4-1 with another Felton wild pitch, this time allowing Amayiah Franklin to come in from third – followed by a throwing error by Felton that saw Kylie Price come in for the run.
 
Dillard (La.) added a run to bring the score to 5-1, as Gaston crossed on the third wild pitch of the inning.
 
Alcorn (7-8) responded in the home-half of the third with five runs of its own.
 
Paris Thompson's two-run scoring double down the left field line scored Olivia Miller and centerfielder Rajayla McBride. That was followed by a Mackenzie Ward double to the wall in left center to bring around Thompson and Yahnya Acevedo to bring even the game at 5-5. The Braves moved ahead 6-5 on the strength of a Karmen Bernard run-scoring single to left to push across Ward.
 
The Bleu Devils wasted little time answering, as the hosts scored four in the top of the fourth and never looked back.
 
The big blow was a Mhallayah Picou single to right that saw both Grace Hunter and Jessica Battiste score to make it 9-5.
 
Alcorn tried to rally with an Acevedo sacrifice fly in the fourth that crossed McBride making it 9-6.
 
But the Bleu Devils would seal the game with a pair of runs in the seventh.
 
A Battiste double to left scored Kyiera Torrence, while a Hunter single past the glove of first baseman Ward plated Ashlynn Gaston.
 
Kylie Price (1-1) picked up the win as the starter, as the right-hander pitched five innings, allowing seven runs (six earned) on eight hits, three walks and three strikeouts. Landry finished the game in the circle for Dillard with an inning of no-hit softball, adding a strikeout.
 
The loss went to Alcorn reliever Olison (5-4), as she was hi for four runs on six hits in 1.2 innings out of the bullpen.
 
Inside the Box Score
• Alainah Felton went two innings as the Alcorn starter, giving up five runs (three earned) on two hits, three walks and two strikeouts without factoring into the decision.
• Rajayla McBride was 3 of 4 at the dish with three runs.
• Paris Thompson posted a multi-hit game turning in a 2-for-3 game with two RBIs and a run scored.
• Mackenzie Ward had two RBIs and a run scored from one hit.
 
Alcorn returns to action Friday, Feb. 24, when the Braves welcome Xavier (La.) to Alcorn Softball Complex for a non-conference doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
 
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