The Alabama State baseball team used a similar script in defeating Eastern Kentucky 11-3 Sunday afternoon at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex.
For the second straight contest, the Hornets (2-1) used a big inning, two in fact, to pull away from the Colonels (1-2) in the final game of the season-opening weekend series.
Alabama State scored five runs in the third inning, and four in the fourth to post a double-digit run total for the first time this season.
Trailing 3-1 in the third,
Richard Amion led off with a triple to center field. After a walk to
Richard Gonzalez, Amion scored on a balk. With one out,
Waldyvan Estrada singled to right field, moving
Cesar Rivera, who reached on a fielder'0s choice, to third.
Emmanuel Marrero then reached on an infield single, scoring Rivera, with Estrada and Marrero advancing on an error. With two out,
Dillon Cooper doubled off the left field wall, scoring Estrada and Marrero.
Dexter Price's single to right field scored Cooper for a 6-3 Hornets' lead.
In the fourth, Gonzalez and Rivera led off with back-to-back singles to left field, and advanced on a wild pitch to third and second base, respectively. With one out, Marrero singled to left, scoring Gonzalez, moving Rivera to third. On a double steal, Rivera stole home to give Alabama State an 8-3 lead. Brandon Castro singled to left field, scoring Marrero, with Castro advancing to second on an error. Cooper's sacrifice fly scored Castro for a commanding 10-3 lead.
Once again, all but one Hornet starter had at least one hit, as Marrero's 3-for-4 day with two runs scored and two RBI paced the 14-hit attack. Amion, Gonzalez, and Castro each had two hits, with Cooper adding three RBI.
"We played really well today," head coach
Mervyl Melendez said. "I'm really proud of those two big innings we were able to put together. As I stated Saturday, in baseball you have to create those innings, and when you have the opportunity to, and can put more than one run on the board, usually the outcome will favor you. With those innings coming back-to-back, it really set the tone for us."
Alabama State got another solid day from its pitching staff.
Julio Valdez went three innings, allowing three hits and two earned runs, with three walks and four strikeouts, and avoided huge trouble by forcing Eastern Kentucky to strand five runners.
Tyler Howe, who earned the win in relief, pitched, four innings, allowing just two hits, walking one, and striking out two.
"Tyler was phenomenal," Melendez said. "He kept them off balance, and kept them from scoring after the third inning. He gave us the lift that we needed, and kept out bullpen rested into the late innings."
The Hornets begin a six-game road trip Tuesday at South Alabama. Live audio will be provided free online at bamastatesports.com/showcase, with first pitch set for 6:30 p.m.
