Alabama State Defeats Alabama A&M, Earns Bid to SWAC Tournament

Montgomery, Ala. - Brehanna Rodrigues hit an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning and Alabama State defeated Alabama A&M for a final of 10-9 at Chisholm Park in the series finale.  The series victory landed ASU the fourth and final spot in next month's Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament Championship.

AAMU (4-26, 4-13) opened the final game of the series scoring two runs in the first inning.  ASU(10-30, 6-10)answered in the bottom of the first with a trio of runs of its own when Megan Dixon drove in Rodrigues and Mercedes Frazier hit a two run homerun that made the score 3-2.

The game was tied at 4-4 until the Lady Bulldogs scored four runs in the fifth inning taking a commanding 8-4 lead.  The Lady Hornets responded again with Frazier's three run homer bringing the game to within one run at 8-7.  ASU got a sacrifice fly by Dixon that tied the game at 8-8 in the sixth inning

The Lady Bulldogs regained the lead 9-8 in the seventh inning when Vane Kersten hit an RBI single that scored Fayesha Ward.  ASU opened the bottom half of the seventh with a homer by Macy Rodgrigues who pinched hit for Breya Wright.  Two batters later, Brittinei Price singled, followed by a sacrifice fly from Tiffany Wooden that advanced Price to third.  That scenario set up the game winner by B. Rodrigues for a final of 10-9.

Early in game two of the series, both teams would collect a total of 33 hits and 29 runs scored with AAMU taking the game for a final of 19-10. The 19 runs were the most ASU gave up all season long. Nicoless Norton set a team record for the most homeruns in a game with three for the Lady Bulldogs.  She finished the game going 5-5 with four runs scored and 6 RBI.  B. Rodgrigues was also perfect at the plate going 4-4 with three runs scored.

Alabama State will host non-conference opponent Jacksonville State Wednesday.  First pitch is set for 6 p.m.

-Hornets-