Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Hammond, La.- Alabama State softball opened up their season playing in the Tangi Tourism Lion Classic falling in their first game of the day to the University of Missouri-Kansas City 8-0, while dropping game two in a thriller match-up to the University of Akron 12-9.
 
The first game saw the Lady Hornets facing the University of Missouri-Kansas City. ASU was able to get runners on base, but unable to capitalize and score runs. Although the ladies weren't able to put runs on the board, defense made some notable plays.    
 
The Lady Hornets lone hit came in the first inning when Laura Augilar singled to left center. On the defensive side the Lady Hornets had 12 putouts with four of them coming from catcher Alessa Yanez who caught baserunner's trying to steal second. Melissa Christmann was the starting pitcher going four innings giving up three runs on four hits.
 
ASU's second game of the day came against the University of Akron which started off as a close matched game as both pitchers came out battling. The Hornets struck first with a home run by Yanez in the second inning.  
The teams went on to score one run an inning until the bottom of the fifth where the Hornets tacked on three runs making it a 6-3 game going in to the sixth inning. In the top of the sixth Akron scored seven runs but the Hornets responded in the bottom of that inning with three runs making it a 10-9 game. Akron was able to secure the win by scoring two runs at the top of the seventh inning closing the game out on a 12-9 victory.
 
Jazzmin Romero hit her first home run tonight as a Hornet, while Shantelle Smith started in the circle for the Lady Hornets going 5.2 innings allowing eight runs off of nine hits.
 
Alabama State will be back in action tomorrow as they face Buffalo at 12:30 p.m. and Nicholls State at 3 p.m. on day two of the Tangi Tourism Lion Classic.