LORMAN, Miss. – Freshman pitcher Kayden Sutton was almost untouchable Friday afternoon for Alcorn, but it would be early damage that lifted visiting Alabama State to a 6-2 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Baseball series-clinching win at Willie E. "Rat" McGowan Stadium in Lorman, Mississippi.
 
Trey Callaway did the most damage for Alabama State (29-21, 19-10 SWAC), going 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBIs. The Hornets catcher punished Alcorn starter Devin Kriley for a solo shot to left field in the second inning, then delivered the knockout blow in the third courtesy a two-run single to center that capped a three-run frame and pushed the visitors to a 4-0 advantage – one they would not relinquish.
 
Kriley, a freshman that has gotten better across the season, fell to 0-9 on the season, and was charged with five runs on five hits over 3.2 innings, adding six strikeouts in the process. The left-hander labored through 86 pitches before giving way to Kayden Sutton, who turned in a gutsy 5.1-inning stretch in relief – hit best outing of the campaign for the Braves.
 
Sutton scattered two hits, struck out a season-high nine and allowed just one unearned run, giving the Braves every opportunity to chip away at the deficit.
 
Alcorn's offense, though, could never get untracked against Alabama State starter Jorhan LaBoy. LaBoy, who improved to 8-5, needed just 40 pitches and allowed only one hit before handing the ball to Caio Araujo, as he worked on a predetermined pitch count from Alabama State Head Coach José Vazquez.
 
Rayfield Adams III provided Alcorn with their most dangerous baserunning of the afternoon, stealing two bases in the fourth inning before scoring on a sacrifice fly off the end of the swing from Jaylyn Bennett to make it 5-1. Adams, who walked to lead off the inning, swiped second and third in succession before Bennett sent him home on a fly ball to center.
 
Alcorn (9-41, 3-24 SWAC) manufactured its second run in the eighth on an RBI groundout by Kanious Davis, who plated Julian Jarrett with two outs. Jarrett had walked and advanced to third on a Chance Jackson single and an Adrian Vallescorbo sacrifice bunt before Davis ended the threat.
 
The Braves finished with three hits as a team.
 
Shortstop Chase Moore and left fielder Clayvonjae Wright each singled.
 
Alabama State's Breydon Divine went 3-for-5 at the dish with an RBI, while Devin Chandler contributed a pair of stolen bases and an RBI single in the eighth from the top of the lineup.
 
Camden Matthews closed it out for the Hornets on the bump, earning his sixth save of the season – his second in as many games in the series against the Purple and Gold, by retiring all five Braves he faced over the final 1.2 innings.
 
Alcorn will conclude the series at home to the Hornets Saturday, May 16, with a special "Senior Appreciation Day" ceremony prior to first pitch. The Braves will be honoring Rayfield Adams III, Hunter Bell, Christian Dunn, Hayden Konkler and Clayvonjae Wright on the day.
 
First pitch for the series finale is slated for 1 p.m. CDT.
 
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