Final Boxscore

IRONDALE, Ala. – The Alabama State University softball team moved into the loser's bracket after dropping a 13-6 decision to Mississippi Valley State at the 2010 Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship tournament Friday afternoon at Shea Brothers Softball Complex.

The Lady Hornets (15-26) fell behind early but rallied to tie the defending SWAC champion Delta Devilettes (26-22) before surrendering seven unanswered runs in the final two frames.

All-SWAC honoree Destinee Sanchez was touched for nine runs on nine hits in four innings of relief work for Bama State, who was also outhit 12-6 by MVSU. Valley scored a run in every inning of the game.

Mercedes Frazier went 2-for-4 at the plate and was the lone ASU batter with multiple hits in the game. Four different Valley players notched multiple hits led by Ashley Hobbs' 3-for-5 performance.

The two squads traded runs in the first inning as Frazier doubled home Brehanna Rodrigues, who led off the inning with a walk. MVSU grabbed the lead with three runs in the second then tacked on a solo run in the third for a 5-1 edge.

Ja'Vonna Grimsley doubled in the fourth inning and came around to score on a ball hit by Ariel Gainey that was misplayed by the MVSU second baseman. The error allowed ASU to cut the deficit to 5-2 before the Delta Devilettes answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the frame.

ASU evened the score at 6-6 in the fifth after plating four runs. Courtney Crossley, Gainey and Rodrigues all collected RBI hits in the scoring spree which also included a successful swipe of home by Quaneisha Limbrick.

Unfortunately, the rally was short lived for Bama State as Valley scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth to regain the momentum. MVSU closed the scoring with two more runs in the sixth.

With the loss, Alabama State moves into the loser's bracket and faces Southern in an elimination game Saturday at 1 p.m. ASU and SU squared off in Thursday's tournament opener with the Lady Hornets earning an 8-4 victory. The winner of the ASU-SU contest meets MVSU Saturday at 3:30 p.m.