Alabama State split with Southern Saturday at Wheeler-Watkins

COURTESY: ALABAMA STATE ATHLETICS

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Alabama State split a non-conference doubleheader with Southern at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex, winning game one 12-6 before falling 7-3 in the nightcap.

Alabama State (5-3) had a pair of big innings in the opener, scoring five in the second and five more in the fifth. The Hornets started the scoring in the second inning when Joshua Dunson was hit by a pitch, pushing home Gustavo Rios for the 1-0 lead. The lead continued to grow when Joseph Estrada cleared the bases with a double down the left field line to extend the lead to 4-0, before Rios walked to drive in Estrada for the 5-0 lead through two.

The Hornets got back on the board again in the third on the third home run of the season for Ray Hernandez for a 6-0 lead, before he and Hunter Allen both homered in the five-run fifth inning. The Hornets added another run in the fifth inning when Dunson scored on passed ball for the 9-0 lead; before Noel Cheneau scored on an Estrada sacrifice fly. The scoring was completed in the fifth on a solo home run by Yamil Pagan for an 11-0 lead – the fourth for the Hornets on the day.

Southern was able to get on the board with four to trim the lead to 11-4, before Santiago Garcia scored on a wild pitch to push the margin to 12-4.

GAME 1 BOX SCORE
GAME 2 BOX SCORE

Darrius Wright (2-0) picked up the win with six innings of shut out baseball, allowing just two hits. He struck out eight and walked two in the victory. Chase Laney came on in relief to work three innings with one strikeout.

In the nightcap, Southern was able to jump out to an early 6-0 lead through the first four innings – scoring a pair of runs in the second and three in the fourth. Alabama State was able to answer with a run in the fifth on a Cheneau home run – his first collegiate home run and the fifth of the day for Alabama State. They were able to trim the lead to 6-3 with a pair of runs in the sixth when Cheneau recorded a two-run single.

Dalton Wilder (0-2) suffered the loss, working three innings and allowed five runs – three earned – off of seven hits with a career-high seven strikeouts. Ivanniel Vazquez pitched an inning in relief, while Terrell McCall came out of the bullpen to work five innings and allow one run off of five hits with strikeouts.

Hernandez led Alabama State in hitting, going 4-for-8 in the two games with four runs scored and a pair of runs batted in, while Cheneau finished with three hits and Rios a pair. Estrada led the way with four runs batted in.

Alabama State returns to action Sunday with a single game scheduled at 1 pm against Southern at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex.

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