On a blustery day Tuesday afternoon at Paterson Field, the Alabama State University baseball team dropped a tough 14-12 decision to Albany State.

The Hornets scored runs in seven of the nine innings played but were unable to overcome a six-run explosion by the visitors in the fifth inning.

Alabama State scored the first three runs of the contest before Albany State rallied with three runs of their own in the top of the third behind a pair of homeruns. The Hornets regained the lead with a run in the bottom of the third before the Rams broke things open in the fifth to take a 9-4 advantage.

Gerald Washington homered for the Hornets in the fifth to trim the deficit and then ASU closed to within one run, 9-8, after scoring three runs in the sixth. Albany State answered with three runs in the eighth and two more in the ninth to secure the victory.

Ray Pickering led the way for ASU at the plate going 4-for-5 including a homerun while also driving in five runs and scoring three times. T.J. Griggs recorded three hits while Washington, Cameron Webman and Jordan Mims each finished with two hits.
 
Roger Jones paced the Rams with a 5-for-6 performance and four RBI.

Clarence Brown worked three innings of relief to earn the victory for Albany State while Norris Kyles suffered the loss for Alabama State after allowing six runs on seven hits in just one and two-thirds innings of work.

The Hornets return to action this weekend with a three-game set against in-state rival Alabama A&M beginning Saturday at 6 p.m. at Paterson Field.