April 21, 2007

Final Stats

Montgomery, Ala. - After having last season cut short by a rash of severe injuries, not much was expected of the 2007 Alabama State softball team. On Saturday, the Lady Hornets took a doubleheader against Alcorn State to complete an amazing turnaround and tie for second place in the Southwestern Athletic Conference eastern division.

"We never stopped believing in each other," said `Bama State head coach Telma O'Neal-Hall. "There were several times this season when we could've quit, but they keep working and believing in each other. They deserve all the success they are getting."

The Lady Hornets held off Alcorn 4-2 in the first game before rallying to win 8-5 in the nightcap. `Bama State finishes the regular season 11-7 in conference, tying Alabama A & M and Jackson State for second place.

Game One

Alabama State 4, Alcorn State 2

Destinee Sanchez only allowed four hits in seven innings as she carried Alabama State to a key 4-2 over Alcorn State.

April O'Neal singled in Mikhail Hall to give the Lady Hornets 1-0 first inning lead.

O'Neal manufactured a run by herself in the third. After her second single, she stole second. From there she came all the way home on a wild pitch.

Alcorn broke through for their first run in the top of the sixth when Michelle Obront singled home Amber Steeves.

`Bama State immediately responded with two runs in the bottom of that inning. Yolan Smith drilled a leadoff double and later scored on Pamela Curry's fly out to deep center. Raynaldo Franklin scored the run on Cami Cunningham's single.

Sanchez would allow one run in the seventh, before forcing a pop up to third to seal the game.

Cunningham and O'Neal each went 2-3.

Destinee Sanchez (8-9) earned the win, while Corina Pendleton was tagged with the loss (8-18).

Game Two

Alabama State 8, Alcorn State 5

In the second game of the doubleheader, Alabama State rallied for an 8-5 win over Alcorn State.

After jumping out to a 2-0 lead, Alabama State found themselves in a 4-2 win.

With their season on the line, the Lady Hornets exploded for six runs in the fifth inning. Nicole Zarate started the scoring with her first home run of the season. Whitney Valentine and Yolan Smith each stroked bases-loaded singles to drive in runs. Pamela Curry's walk brought home another, and one more run came across on a wild pitch. Curry scored the final run of the inning on Mikhail Knox's groundout.

Alcorn mustered one run in the seventh, but Destinee Sanchez induced a game ending double play to secure the win.

Sanchez (9-9) picked the win for ASU and Tynetta Sims took the loss for Alcorn State.