Alcorn Falls in Home SWAC Series to BCU

LORMAN, Miss. – Alcorn's Asher Friedman supplied the Braves with three hits Saturday afternoon as Alcorn dropped both legs of a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Baseball doubleheader against visiting Bethune-Cookman at Willie E. "Rat" McGowan Stadium. Alcorn dropped the opening game 12-2, and then fell in the second game of the day by a 14-3 count, allowing BCU to sweep the weekend series.
 
GAME ONE: BCU 12, Alcorn 2
Maikol Lucena drove in five runs and Bethune-Cookman scored in five different innings to defeat Alcorn 12-2 Saturday afternoon in the first game of a doubleheader at McGowan Stadium in Lorman, Mississippi.
 
Bethune-Cookman (16-7, 5-0 SWAC) struck first in the top of the first inning when shortstop Jeter Polledo grounded out to score Erick Almonte. The Wildcats pushed across another run in the second on a balk that scored Michael Rodriguez, and added three more in the fourth when Lucena singled to left field and a fielding error by the Alcorn left fielder allowed three runs to score, pushing the lead to 5-1.
 
Alcorn (5-18, 1-4 SWAC) would answer in the bottom of the second, using catcher Adrian Vallescorbo reaching on a fielder's choice and a throwing error that allowed Braves shortstop Asher Friedman to cross safely, cutting the deficit to 2-1.
 
The visitors would eventually step away with a four-run sixth inning.
 
Andrey Martinez singled home Almonte, and Lucena followed with a two-run single to left. Michael Rodriguez added a run-scoring single to cap the frame and push the lead to 9-1.
 
The Wildcats tacked on three more in the eighth.
 
Polledo scored on a groundout by Jorge Rodriguez, and Madison, Mississippi, native Christopher Watson added to the scoring with a two-run triple to left-center that plated Sergio Rivera and Rodriguez, making it 12-1.
 
The Purple and Gold got a consolation run in the bottom of the eighth on a pinch-hit single by pinch hitter Christian Dunn that scored Chance Johnson.
 
Edwin Sanchez earned the win on the bump for the Wildcats, going seven innings and allowing just one earned run on five hits, walking two and striking out four to improve to 5-1 on the year.
 
Alcorn starter Kayden Sutton took the loss, surrendering eight runs on eight hits over five innings while issuing seven walks and throwing four balks. Sutton dropped to 1-4.
 
Lucena finished 3-for-4 with a double, five RBI and a stolen base for the Wildcats on offense. Rodriguez had two hits, and Watson added a triple and two RBI out of the designated hitter spot. Almonte scored twice and drew two walks at the top of the order.
 
For Alcorn, Friedman went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored, while Vallescorbo had a hit and an RBI as well.
 
GAME TWO: BCU 14, ALCORN 3
Darryl Lee drove in six runs and Bethune-Cookman exploded for five runs in the third inning and six more in the sixth to complete a doubleheader sweep of Alcorn courtesy a 14-3 victory Saturday afternoon at McGowan Stadium in Lorman, Mississippi.
 
Bethune-Cookman (17-7, 6-0 SWAC) opened its scoring account early, with Jeter Polledo singling home Erick Almonte in the first inning. The Wildcats added a run in the second on a sacrifice fly by Darryl Lee, and then blew the game open in the third.
 
Jorge Rodriguez singled home Polledo, Almonte followed with a bases-loaded walk to score Rodriguez, and Lee capped the frame with a two-out, three-run double to left-center that cleared the bases and pushed the lead to 7-0, respectfully.
 
Alcorn (5-19, 1-5 SWAC) clawed back with three runs over the third and fourth innings.
 
Braves left fielder Jamir Hollway reached on a fielder's choice to score Kanious Davis in the third, and the Braves added two more in the fourth when Asher Friedman and Davis each delivered run-scoring singles to make it 7-3.
 
BCU responded in kind with a run in the fifth, when Lee singled home Christopher Watson, and then put the game away with a six-run sixth.
 
Jorge Rodriguez singled home Caleb Scott, Watson added a run-scoring single, Lee drew a bases-loaded walk to force in a run, Andrey Martinez drew another walk to push across a run, and Scott capped the rally with a two-run single to left that made it 14-3.
 
Lee finished 2-for-2 with a double, six RBIs and a walk. Watson went 2-for-3 with an RBI and three runs scored, while Rodriguez had two hits and two RBIs of his own.
 
For the Braves, it was Friedman producing a 2-for-3 afternoon with an RBI, and Davis finishing 1-for-1 with two walks, a run scored and an RBI as well.
 
Andris Barroso pitched a scoreless seventh inning in relief for BCU to close out the series sweep.
 
Tanner Boccabello earned the win, striking out nine batters over six innings while allowing three earned runs on six hits to improve to 2-0. Alcorn starter Yoni Castro took the loss, giving up seven runs on five hits in just 2.2 innings while hitting three batters and walking five, falling to 0-2 on the campaign.
 
The Purple and Gold step out of league play in midweek traveling to Tougaloo (Miss.) for a nonconference doubleheader on Tuesday, March 24. First pitch of game one is set for 1 p.m., in Tougaloo, Mississippi.
 
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