The Alabama State baseball team will begin the first of nine consecutive conference road games to end the regular season this weekend at Alabama A&M.
 
The Hornets (19-17 overall, 10-5 Southwestern Athletic Conference) and Bulldogs (3-27, 1-10) will play a doubleheader Saturday and single-game Sunday at Bulldog Field, with first pitch both days beginning at 1 p.m. All games will be broadcast online free of charge at bamastatesports.com/showcase.
 
Despite scoring only scoring three runs in mid-week losses at Mercer (10-2) and Auburn (2-1), head coach Mervyl Melendez saw improved at-bats by his team through most of the 18 innings played.
 
“We are really concentrating on having quality at-bats,” Melendez said. “Good results are going to come from knowing what to look for, and knowing the location of the pitch you want to swing at early in the count.  Sometimes you have to sit on the pitch you are looking for, and when you get it, you can't miss it. Other than later in the Auburn game, we've done a better job at the plate.”
 
This weekend's series at Alabama A&M is the first of three consecutive SWAC road series to end the regular season. The Hornets will play at Jackson State next weekend, and at Mississippi Valley State May 4-5 to complete conference play. Alabama State has not fared well on the road, with one win in nine true road games this season. And with the SWAC Tournament set for Ft. Worth, Texas May 15-19, Melendez wants his Hornets to start gaining confidence away from home.
 
“One of the things I've told the team is we're not going to play the conference tournament at home,” Melendez said. “We have to get ready to play on the road, not only to play well, but find ways to win. You're only a couple of games away from getting the confidence back. If you're a player who's struggling, you're only a couple of at-bats away from getting your groove at the plate. It's just as important to take it one game at time, and take care of business on the road.”

-GO HORNETS-