Final Boxsore

IRONDALE, Ala. – The Alabama State University softball team opened play in the 2010 Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship tournament with an 8-4 victory over Southern University Thursday afternoon at Shea Brothers Softball Complex.

The Lady Hornets (14-25), the eastern division No.3-seed, used a solid pitching performance and timely hitting in earning the upset over Southern (15-27) the western division's No.2-seed.

All-SWAC honoree Destinee Sanchez pitched a complete game in earning the victory for ASU. Sanchez scattered six hits over seven innings of work and finished with one strikeout and one walk. She limited Shawntall Steamer, the SWAC's Player and Freshman of the Year, to just one hit.

Six different batters collected a hit for the Lady Hornets with Ayesha Famble leading the way with two hits and two RBI. Brehanna Rodrigues and Mercedes Frazier each added two RBI in the win. The Lady Hornets were able to tally eight runs against the SWAC Pitcher of the Year, Lanaya Jenkins.

ASU got on the board first scoring a pair of runs in the top of the second. Rodrigues drove in both runs with a bases-loaded single to left field. The Lady Jaguars got a run back in the bottom of the frame making the score 2-1.

After a pair of scoreless innings, Bama State pushed the lead to 4-1 with a pair of runs in the fifth. Frazier got it started with a solo homerun followed by a solo blast by Boshia Richardson later in the frame. The Lady Hornets added four more runs in the sixth taking an 8-1 advantage. Famble tripled in a pair of runs before back-to-back fielding errors by SU allowed two more runs home.

Southern rallied with three runs in the sixth but could get no closer as Sanchez shut them down in the seventh.

With the win, Alabama State advances in the winner's bracket to face MIssissippi Valley State at 3:30 p.m. Friday. Southern faces Arkansas-Pine Bluff Friday in an elimination game at 1 p.m. All SWAC Championship games are being played at the Shea Brothers Softball Complex.