LORMAN, Miss. – For the second time on the week, Alcorn Softball hosts a member of the Red River Athletic Conference when the Xavier University of Louisiana Gold Nuggets visit Alcorn Softball Complex for a weekend doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 28, at 1 p.m. The doubleheader was originally slated for February 27, but was moved back due to impending weather in and around the Lorman area.
 
THE SCHEDULE
Saturday, Feb. 28
1 p.m. – vs. Xavier (La.) | Live Stats
 
3 p.m. – vs. Xavier (La.) | Live Stats
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
Keep up with everything Alcorn Softball this season by following the Braves social media platforms. You can follow @BravesSports on X/Twitter and @AlcornSports on Instagram.
 
STATS & NOTES
▪ Alcorn split a home midweek doubleheader with Dillard (La.) on Tuesday, Feb. 24.
▪ The Braves are hitting.299 as a team with 100 runs scored through 15 games thus far on the campaign.
▪ Ka'Miya Dillon leads the team with a .378 batting average (17-for-45).
▪ Yahnya Acevedo is the team's most dangerous power threat, slugging .681 with three home runs, five doubles, a triple, and a team-high 17 RBI – all while going a perfect 8-for-8 in stolen base attempts.
▪ Acevedo's .681 slugging percentage leads the team and ranks among the best in the conference
▪ Rajayla McBride and Chiara Olison are tied for the team's top batting average among multi-starters at .385, with McBride going a perfect 5-for-5 on stolen base attempts.
▪ Alcorn has swiped 26 of 27 stolen bases as a team.
▪ As a unit, the Braves own a .948 team fielding percentage with five double plays turned.
 
HISTORY
▪ Alcorn and Xavier (La.) have never met before in softball.
 
QUOTES FROM COACH BILLIE
"We're excited to be back home in front of our fans. Xavier is a quality program and we know they're going to come in here ready to compete. We have to make sure we're locked in from the first pitch of game one and carry that same intensity into game two."
 
"Splitting with Dillard was a learning experience for us. We took some good things away from both games, and I think the biggest thing we talked about as a group was finishing. We have to be a team that finishes ball games, and that's the standard we're holding ourselves to going into this weekend."
 
"We didn't get the result we wanted in that second game against Dillard, but I was proud of how our girls responded in the dugout. We never stopped competing, and that tells me a lot about the character of this team. Now we have to channel that and come out hungry against Xavier."
 
"The message has been simple – control what you can control. Our preparation, our effort, our attitude. If we do those things right, the wins will take care of themselves. Xavier is going to get our best on Saturday, and I expect our best to be very good."
 
SCOUTING XAVIER (3-9, 0-3 RRAC)
Rankings: USA Today/NFCA Coaches – NR | ESPN.com/USA Softball – NR
Head Coach: Kailey Anderson (3rd season)
2026 Batting Average: .277; Runs Per Game: 5.0; Hits Per Game: 7.3; Slugging Percentage: .357
2026 ERA: 5.70; K/BB Ratio: 1.83; Opp. Batting Avg: .333
 
RECAPPING ALCORN'S LAST GAME (vs. Dillard)
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 at Alcorn Softball Complex in Lorman, Mississippi.
 
Dillard (La.) 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 added a run to bring the score to 5-1, as Gaston crossed on the third wild pitch of the inning.
 
Alcorn 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.
 
UP NEXT
Alcorn travels to Southern Miss for a single midweek game against the Golden Eagles in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, on Tuesday, March 3, with first pitch slated for 6 p.m.