Final Box Game 1
Final Box Game 2

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Alabama State University softball team split a Southwestern Athletic Conference doubleheader against Jackson State Saturday afternoon at Fain Park. ASU dropped the first game 5-4 in extra innings before rallying for the 7-1 victory in the finale.

In the opener, Jackson State grabbed the quick lead scoring three runs in the top of the first. The Lady Tigers got four hits in the frame and benefitted from on Alabama State error.

The Lady Hornets answered with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Back-to-back triples by Ayesha Famble and Ja'Vonna Grimsley plated the first ASU run. Grimsley then scored on a ball hit by Mercedes Frazier.

ASU tied the score at 3-3 in the bottom of the fifth as Sosefina Toilolo led off with a triple and then scored on an RBI-single from Whitley Golson. Jackson State would go back up by one in the top of the sixth before Bama State rallied for a run in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings. Toilolo scored the equalizer after reaching base on an error, moving to third on a sacrifice bunt and coming home on a sacrifice fly by pinch hitter Courtney Crossley.

Anesha McClendon homered to lead off the eighth and give the Lady Tigers the lead and eventually the win as ASU went down in order in the bottom of the inning.

Destinee Sanchez worked all eight innings of the mound for Bama State allowing eight hits while Tynett Sims also pitched a complete game for JSU giving up seven hits.

Famble finished 2-for-4 in leading ASU at the plate while Amanda Boggan and Alla Williams each collected two hits for the Lady Tigers.

ASU dominated play in the second game taking a 4-0 lead after the first inning. The first five Lady Hornet batters recorded hits to open the game. Golson singled followed by a single from Famble. Grimsley had an RBI-double and Frazier then cracked a two-run double before Boshia Richardson concluded the first-inning barrage with an RBI-single.

Bama State added a run in the second when Golson singled home Toilolo, who opened the inning with a double. ASU then tacked on two more scores in the fifth on an RBI-double for Frazier and a run-scoring single by Richardson for a 7-0 advantage.

The Lady Tigers lone run and hit came in the top of the sixth on a solo homerun by Sims.

Amanda Gracia recorded seven strikeouts and allowed just one hit to earn the win on the mound for ASU while the Lady Hornets pounded out 10 hits and seven runs against JSU starter Jessica Villegas in four innings of work.

Frazier, Golson and Richardson all finished with two hits in the contest with Frazier going 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored.

Alabama State visits Jacksonville State Tuesday at 5 p.m. before closing out its home schedule on Apr. 9-10 against Mississippi Valley State at Lagoon Park.