MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Alabama State softball team (13-32 overall, 10-7 SWAC) travels to Decatur, Ala. to face Arkansas Pine-Bluff (14-27, 12-5) in the opening round of the 2013 Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament at Wilson/Morgan Park. First pitch is slated for 11:30 a.m.
 
ASU enters the tournament as the No. 3 seed in the SWAC Eastern division; while UAPB took the No. 2 seed in the West. Fans can follow the game via live stats at: http://www.swac.org/liveStats/liveStats.dbml?SPID=93269&DB_OEM_ID=27400&LIST_SPORT_KEY=W_SOFTBALL  
 
“UAPB is a program that has been improving over the past few years,” Head Coach Telma O'Neal Hall said. “Seeing them on Wednesday says a lot about the things they have accomplished in the Western division. We will have to face them with the 0-0 mindset not thinking of the round up and execute, execute, execute. Every game in this tournament is being played one play at a time.”  
 
“We expect to keep our focus as we have all year,” Head Coach Telma Hall said. “Our motto of 0-0 is still for conference tournament as it has been for regular season.  It's the conference tournament and everybody's bringing their “A” game, so past results are only being used to improve and perfect what we are about to face; no assumptions only adjustments and execution of the game plan.”
                                                                                                             
The Lady Hornets rounded out their regular season slate with a 10-5 record down the stretch and was led by senior co-captain Brehanna Rodrigues. Rodrigues went 18-for-43 recording a .419 batting average, including 13 runs, five RBI, a double, and a triple with 16 stolen bases.
 
Freshmen Aleesa Yanez and Makayla Webster stepped up at the plate for ASU down the stretch. Yanez held a .375 batting average. She went 15-for-40 including nine RBI, four runs, three doubles, and a triple; while Webster added a .371 batting average, which included 13 RBI, seven runs, three doubles, and a homerun.  
 
“Anytime you gain momentum towards the end of the season it is a big confidence boost,” Hall stated. “It is a great opportunity to be in the tournament. At this point all newcomers have had a chance to see everyone, so nothing is a mystery to them anymore.”
 
“Our momentum changed when the starting freshmen began to own their role in the success. We are a team that will need all cylinders turning and functioning at the same time.  That is when we are at our best.”
 
As a team, the Lady Hornets hold a .254 batting average, with 265 hits, 139 runs scored, 118 RBI, 32 doubles, nine home runs, and eight triples. In conference play, the ASU softball team is led by junior Meagan Dixon, who has recorded a .480 batting average, including 24 hits, 20 RBI, 16 runs, three home runs, four doubles, and two triples. Dixon has collected seven stolen bases as well.
 
Alabama State has 76 stolen bases on the season as a team and is led by Brehanna Rodrigues with 36 (1^st in Conference).
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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