ASU Baseball Eludes Weather, Tops Braves In Seven, Wins 30 For Fourth Straight Year

LORMAN, Mississippi –  Alabama State defeated Alcorn St. 16-1 in seven innings in a game to earn their 30th win of the season.

The contest, which started at 11 a.m., was delayed just before noon due to lightning, which preceded the rain. The Hornets led 6-0 in the bottom of the second and, after the game was called and scheduled to resume at 11 a.m. Sunday, the weather cleared and the game resumed after about a 5 ½-hour delay.

Tyler Howe (8-2) pitched six innings, allowed four hits, one unearned run, walked none and struck out seven as the Hornets (30-14) reached the 30-win mark for the fourth straight season and improved to 20-0 in SWAC play. Howe threw 80 pitches, 62 for strikes in the victory, as the teams will play the final game of the series Sunday at 11 a.m.

Every Hornet position starter had at least one hit in the 14-hit attack. Carlos Ocasio scored four times and drove in two, Yamil Pagan scored three runs, and Chris Biocic and Ray Hernandez each drove in three runs as the Hornets won their seventh straight game.

Alabama State took advantage of being hit by pitch seven times, four in the five-run third that broke the game open. The only hit in the inning was an Oscar Prioleau single to right. Pagan and Ocasio were each hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force home runs in the inning.

The Hornets scored in the first as Dillon Cooper was hit by pitch with the bases loaded, scoring Pagan. After an RBI on a fielder's choice by Chris Biocic, an RBI single by Hernandez scored Ocasio for a 3-0 lead.

Pagan led off the second with a double to left center, and advanced to third on a groundout. Ocasio then singled to right field, scoring Pagan. Cooper then doubled to left field, as Ocasio moved to third. That set the table for Biocic, who's two-run single to right cleared the bases for a 6-0 lead.
That was more than enough for Howe who, following the weather delay, pitched out of a two-on, one out situation against the Braves (14-27, 9-12). In his last three starts, Howe has allowed eight singles, one unearned run and struck out 23 batters.

COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION