PINE BLUFF, Ark. – Alcorn Softball begins Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) play this weekend when the Braves travel to "The Natural State" to take on the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions in a three-game set beginning Friday, March 6, at 1 p.m. Due to the potential of inclement weather, the series times were moved up to a doubleheader on Friday, followed by a single game on Saturday.
 
THE SCHEDULE
Friday, March 6
1 p.m. – at Arkansas-Pine Bluff | Torii Hunter Softball Complex | Watch | Live Stats
 
3 p.m. – at Arkansas-Pine Bluff | Torii Hunter Softball Complex | Watch | Live Stats
 
Saturday, March 7
Noon – at Arkansas-Pine Bluff | Torii Hunter Softball Complex | Watch | 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 State carries a 9-9 overall record into the UAPB series, with a strong showing at neutral sites (6-5) and at home (3-1).
▪ The Purple and Gold are swinging a hot bat as a unit, posting a team batting average of .306 with 120 runs scored through 18 games.
▪ Alcorn has out-hit opponents in extra bases, slugging .452 as a team compared to opponents' .410.
▪ The team has shown strong baserunning discipline, going 32-for-33 on stolen base attempts (97% success rate).
▪ Yahnya Acevedo is the team leader in RBIs (18), hits (20), doubles (6), home runs (3), and total bases (37), respectfully.
▪ Catcher Paris Thompson is batting .341 on the campaign with two home runs and 12 RBIs thus far.
▪ Ka'Miya Dillon proves to be one of the hardest players to strike out, being fanned just once in 50 at-bats on the year.
▪ One of several speedy outfielders for the Braves, Rajayla McBride enters the series batting .400 (14-for-35) with 5-for-5 on stolen bases and a .432 OBP.
▪ In the pitcher's circle, Chiara Olison has tallied a 6-4 record, leading the staff in wins, starts (8), complete games (6), and innings pitched (54.2).
▪ In the field, Olison is reliable at .982 (56 total chances, 1 error).
 
HISTORY
▪ Dating back to 2013, Alcorn holds the slimmest of edges against UAPB, 15-14.
▪ Last season in Pine Bluff, the Braves swept the Golden Lions in a three-game series.
▪ The Braves also won two-of-three to take the series from UAPB in Lorman last year.
▪ From 2019 in the SWAC Tournament until the series finale of a slate in 2022 in Arkansas, Alcorn took six consecutive from their counterparts in Arkansas.
▪ The last series victory for the Golden Lions over the Braves was a sweep, respectfully, in 2024 at Torii Hunter Softball Complex.
 
QUOTES FROM COACH BILLIE
"We're excited to get SWAC play started. Arkansas-Pine Bluff is a tough place to play, and we know we're going to have to come in ready to compete from the very first pitch. Our kids have been preparing for this moment, and I like where our heads are at going into the series."
 
"Anytime you open conference on the road, you have to embrace the challenge. We're not going to shy away from it. We're going to go up there and compete. UAPB is a good ball club, and we respect what they're doing over there, but this trip is about us and what we're capable of."
 
"How you start in this league matters. We can't afford to dig a hole in the standings early and spend the rest of the year trying to climb out of it. We want to set the tone right away and let everyone know that Alcorn is going to be a factor in this conference race."
 
"This league will humble you on the road if you're not ready. The travel, the crowds, the elements – it's never easy. But we've talked about the mentality it takes to win away from home, and if we can steal this series, it would be a statement for what we want to accomplish this season."
 
SCOUTING ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF (3-10, 0-0 SWAC)
Rankings: USA Today/NFCA Coaches – NR | ESPN.com/USA Softball – NR
Head Coach: Michael Bumpers (9th season)
2026 Batting Average: .223; Runs Per Game: 3.0; Hits Per Game: 5.0; Slugging Percentage: .271
2026 ERA: 7.65; K/BB Ratio: 0.59; Opp. Batting Avg: .333
 
RECAPPING ALCORN'S LAST GAME (at Southern Miss)
Madison Johnson had three hits to help power Southern Miss past visiting Alcorn 5-2 in midweek non-conference softball played at USM Softball Complex in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
 
Southern Miss plated a pair of runs in the home-half of the first inning to take an early lead.
 
Jolie Hays' single with the bases loaded past the glove of Braves shortstop Olivia Miller allowed Hannah Christian to score as the game's opening run. That was followed on the ensuing play by Chloe Miller's fielder's choice RBI to shortstop, allowing Abbi Troquille to scamper in for the 2-0 Golden Eagles lead.
 
With the score still in favor of the hosts at 2-0 entering the fifth, Alcorn would draw even with a pair of runs of their own.
 
A Karmen Bernard single to short was enough to drive across Sanai Salvant to make it 2-1. Moments later, Mariah Morgan made it 2-2 with her single through the right side to score Jamyiyah Cotten. Salvant pinch ran for Paris Thomspon after the catcher doubled in her earlier at bat, while Cotten singled through the right side in her appearance.
 
Madison Johnson led off the bottom of the fifth with a double to left center to begin what would eventually become five consecutive hits for the Golden Eagles. Christian's single scored Johnson, while Troquille followed with an RBI single of her that plated Nealy McManus to make it 4-2.
 
The Golden Eagles added an insurance run in the sixth with Troquille's single – her second hit of the night, to short that crossed Julia Glasgow for the final 5-2 score line.
 
USM reliever Madilyn Graham (4-1) collected the win with 2.1 innings of relief effort, scattering just one hit and striking out two. The loss went to Alcorn's Alainah Felton (1-3) as she went four innings in the circle, being touched for two runs on three hits and two walks.
 
Golden Eagles starter Kayla Giardina exited without a decision after throwing 4.2 innings and giving up two runs on five hits and five strikeouts delivered.
 
Offensively, it was Johnson turning in a perfect 3-for-3 showing at the dish for th4 Golden Eagles of USM, adding a run scored.
 
The Braves bats were led on the night by six different players collecting a hit, most notably Bernard with a 1-for-3 effort and an RBI to boot.
 
UP NEXT
The Braves travel to Louisiana Tech for a midweek nonconference tilt on Tuesday, March 10, in Ruston, Louisiana, at 6 p.m.