No. 25 Ole Miss Defeats Alcorn, 11-1

OXFORD, Miss. – Alcorn's Clayvonjae Wright registered his first home run of the season Tuesday evening as the Braves fell 11-1 away to No. 25 Ole Miss in nonconference baseball action at Swayze Field in Oxford, Mississippi.
 
Walks were as good as hits for No. 25 Ole Miss.
 
The Rebels drew 18 bases on balls and scored 11 runs in the seven-inning run-rule victory.
 
Ole Miss (23-11) sent Alcorn pitchers to a long evening on the mound, working counts and coaxing free passes all night.
 
Braves starting pitcher Yoni Castro lasted just two innings, issuing six walks and surrendering four runs with just two hits allowed in his time on the bump. Reliever José Cherena walked four more in his two innings of work, and by the time the night was over, five Alcorn pitchers had combined to hand out 18 free passes.
 
Dom Decker led the Ole Miss offense, going 2-for-3 with three RBIs, two runs scored, a double and a stolen base. Shortstop Owen Paino reached base five times, drawing three walks in addition to a hit and three RBIs, while Tristan Bissetta reached base five times as well, going 2-for-2 with three walks, a double and two stolen bases.
 
Judd Utermark added a two-run double, and Austin Fawley drove in a run to round out a balanced Rebels attack.
 
Alcorn (7-26) got on the board in the fifth inning when designated hitter Clayvonjae Wright launched a solo home run to account for the Braves' only run of the evening.
 
On the mound, Ole Miss starter Grayson Gibson was sharp in his two innings, striking out four without issuing a walk.
 
Leo Odom earned the win in relief, working 1.2 scoreless frames and punching out five batters as well.
 
Ole Miss put the game away with a three-run seventh inning, triggering the run rule.
 
Kanious Davis added a pair of hits in a 2-for-3 showing at the dish for the Braves.
 
Alcorn gets back to Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) play on Friday, April 10, as the Purple and Gold travel to Houston, Texas, facing off against Texas Southern in a key three-game league series for both clubs.
 
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