The Alabama State baseball team opens the second half of Southwestern Athletic Conference play at home this weekend against Alcorn State at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex.
The Hornets (18-13 overall, 9-3 SWAC) and Braves (5-24, 5-5) play Saturday in a doubleheader and Sunday in a single game, with first pitch both days at 1 p.m. Saturday is ASU Family Day around a full day of Hornet Athletics events. In addition to the baseball doubleheader, the football team will practice at 9 a.m. at Old Hornet Stadium, and Lady Hornets' softball will host Alabama A&M in a doubleheader beginning at Noon at the Barbara Williams Softball Complex.
There will be free food and games near the ASU Baseball and Softball Complexes on W. Fifth Street just off Carter Hill Road on the ASU campus from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Admission is free for football and softball, and admission for the baseball games is $5 for adults and $3 for children 12 and under.
With Wednesday's home game against Georgia State postponed due to inclement weather, it gave the Hornets time to get rest as well as extra reps prior to this weekend's series.
“Among the benefits is that you get rest, which is much needed especially when you play 4-5 games a week,” head coach
Mervyl Melendez said of his team, which played nine games in a stretch of 11 days ending with this past Tuesday's game at Troy. “The body has to recoup a little bit, and I think our guys have gotten their legs back. You're probably going to see more energy this weekend from our guys. Doubleheaders are long days and you need all the energy you can get. Having a few days to go back to the drawing board and doing the little things, taking ground balls and working in the batting cage, helps you develop and fine tune your skills as a ball player.”
Since losing the SWAC opening doubleheader at Alcorn State on March 2, the Hornets have won nine of their past 10 league games to move into a tie for first place with Jackson State. With the rotating conference schedules that changes yearly, this weekend is the final home weekend series of the season, as Alabama State wraps up its home SWAC schedule.
“It's very important to finish our home conference schedule on a high note, to give our fans the excitement they deserve after a good season so far, ” Melendez said. “We have to win ball games in order to continue to work toward the goals we have set and to stay in first place. Every game is important, every game is going to be crucial from here on out. We have to play well, and we have to play well in every game.”
