LORMAN, Miss. – Alcorn Baseball brings Prairie View A&M to Lorman, Mississippi, as the Braves and Panthers compete in a three-game Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) series at Willie E. "Rat" McGowan Stadium beginning Friday, May 8, at 6 p.m.
 
THE SCHEDULE
Friday, May 8
6 p.m. – Prairie View A&M | Lorman, Miss. | McGowan Stadium | Live Stats | Listen
 
Saturday, May 9
6 p.m. – Prairie View A&M | Lorman, Miss. | McGowan Stadium | Live Stats | Listen
 
Sunday, May 10
6 p.m. – Prairie View A&M | Lorman, Miss. | McGowan Stadium | Live Stats | Listen
 
IN THE RANKINGS
▪ Alcorn is not ranked in any of this week's five major polls
▪ Prairie View A&M is not ranked in any of this week's five major polls
 
STATS & NOTES
▪ Alcorn enters the weekend working on a 9-38 overall record, and a 3-21 mark in SWAC play.
▪ The Braves are led by Jaylyn Bennett with a .317 batting average, followed by Asher Friedman (.300).
▪ Keaten Hawk has hit three home runs in his last three outings for the Purple and Gold – now tied atop the team with Cooper Harris with three homers on the year.
▪ Hawk and Harris also lead the team with 29 RBIs apiece, respectively.
▪ Kanious Davis and Rayfield Adams III have combined for 38 of the Braves' 87 stolen bases on the campaign.
▪ Davis owns a 3-4 record on the mound as a pitcher, using a 7.45 ERA with 34 strikeouts.
▪ Freshman left-hander Devin Kriley has fanned 39 pitchers across 40.1 innings of work this season.
▪ Hawk has reached base 23 consecutive games, while Adams has reached in 15 consecutive contests.
 
ALCORN VS. PRAIRIE VIEW A&M SERIES
▪ Dating back to 2015, Prairie View A&M holds a 29-7 edge in the all-time meetings against Alcorn.
▪ The Braves have dropped the last 12 consecutive against the Panthers, including a 15-10 setback earlier this year as part of the HBCU Power Classic in Pearl, Mississippi.
▪ The Panthers have won nine consecutive against Alcorn in Lorman.
▪ Unfortunately, the Braves have allowed Prairie View A&M to score double-digit runs in nine of the last 12 meetings between the two teams.
▪ Alcorn's last win over PVAMU was a 13-10 score line in Prairie View, Texas, back on April 22, 2023.
 
QUOTES FROM COACH HARDY
"We're excited to be back at home at McGowan Stadium in front of our fans. Prairie View A&M is fighting for a chance to go to the SWAC Tournament, and they're going to bring a great challenge and spirit to Lorman this weekend. We know what's at stake this weekend and our guys understand the assignment."
 
"It's been a long season, and these young men have grinded through an awful lot to get here. The challenge now is staying mentally locked in through these final two weeks. The fatigue is real, but so is the opportunity in front of us to finish the campaign strong against two very good opponents the next two weekends."
 
"I tell our guys constantly to always finish what you started. Let's finish off the season strong, showing everything we've worked on throughout the year. Let's just finish strong."
 
"Lorman is home. McGowan Stadium is home. There's nothing quite like playing in front of our people, our community, our university – even if half the campus will be gone after graduation. We want to give them something to cheer about, nonetheless. That means coming out ready to compete from the first pitch."
 
SCOUTING PRAIRIE VIEW A&M (10-36, 6-18 SWAC)
Rankings: D1Baseball.com – NR | USA Today Coaches – NR
Head Coach: Daniel Dulin (1st season)
2026 Batting Average: .270; Runs Per Game: 5.8; Hits Per Game: 8.6; Slugging Percentage: .392
2026 ERA: 10.22; K/BB Ratio: 0.8; Opp. Batting Avg: .329
 
NOTING THE PANTHERS
▪ Prairie View A&M is led in batting for average by Ryland Duson (.371). He also leads the team in home runs (7), respectfully.
▪ Tyvon Moore is batting .295 for the Panthers, adding a team-high four (4) triples to go along with being hit by a pitch 13 times.
▪ The Panthers have stolen 72 bases as a team, topped by Ethan Walker (17) and Basilio Williams (12).
▪ The pitching staff looks towards Kenneth Haynes and Beau Beaty who have each logged two wins a piece on the season, respectively.
▪ It is Isaac Herrera owning a team-low 4.97 ERA out of the bullpen, seeing action in 14 games – drawing a pair of starts on the season as well.
▪ Haynes has a team-high 41 strikeouts across 56.2 innings worked.
 
RECAPPING ALCORN'S LAST GAME (at Jackson State)
Alcorn's Keatan Hawk registered his third home run in his last three games, as Alcorn dropped the series finale away to Jackson State 6-2 at Braddy Field in a SWAC Baseball game taking place in Jackson, Mississippi.
 
The home-half of the seventh inning proved costly for visiting Alcorn.
 
The Braves managed to pull within 3-2 in the top of the seventh on a two-run homer by right fielder Keatan Hawk – his blast to right field scoring Kanious Davis on the play as well – only to watch Jackson State answer immediately with three runs of its own in the bottom half of the inning to put the game away. For Hawk, it was his third home run of the year, all of them coming in the last week against Grambling State and Jackson State, respectively.
 
The decisive rally began simply enough.
 
Jackson State right fielder/center fielder Tyree Reed reached on a bunt single and eventually scored on a passed ball to give the Tigers a 4-2 lead. Then with two outs, first baseman Shemar Harris singled to third base and the inning unraveled for Alcorn. A throwing error by third baseman Jamir Hollway allowed two additional runs to score, turning a one-run cushion into a four-run advantage that the Braves could not overcome.
 
Alcorn starter Kanious Davis absorbed the loss, dropping to 3-4 on the season. He was otherwise solid through six innings, surrendering just three runs (two earned) while striking out seven, but ran into trouble when the bullpen was called upon.
 
Reliever Yoni Castro retired just two of the five batters he faced in the seventh, allowing three runs (two earned) before giving way to Jacob Wingard who finished it off on the hill for the Purple and Gold.
 
Jackson State starter Derek Arrocha earned the win, improving to 4-4. He was dominant through the first six innings, scattering four hits while striking out six Alcorn batters and not allowing a single run. Jaedeyn Edwards closed it out with two scoreless innings for his third save of the season.
 
The Tigers received steady contributions throughout from Reed, who reached base four times, scored twice and drove in a run. Hederick Torres added an RBI double in the second inning from his catcher position on the field defensively.
 
Alcorn first baseman Chance Jackson went 3-for-4, including what would have been his first home run of the season. However, the Raymond, Mississippi, junior was called out on a controversial call that would see him ruled to have stepped on the incorrect bag at first base as he was rounding the bases.
 
Shortstop Chase Moore had two hits including a double, but the Braves left 11 runners on base and went 0-for-several with men in scoring position across multiple innings. A late ninth-inning threat fizzled when Jackson was thrown out at the plate attempting to steal home.
 
UP NEXT
The Braves will play their season series finale at home to SWAC opponent Alabama State running May 14-16, in Lorman. The series will also incorporate "Senior Appreciation Day" for the Purple and Gold across the weekend.
 
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