The Alabama State baseball team began Southwestern Athletic Conference play by sweeping Saturday's doubleheader against Mississippi Valley State 6-3 and 6-0 at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex.
Starting pitching again set the tone, as starters
Tyler Howe and
Joseph Camacho combined to throw 12+ innings, yielding only one run.
"I thought we pitched really well, especially in the second game," head coach
Mervyl Melendez said. "We set the tone on the mound and that's what we want to do. We want to be able to throw strikes, command the strike zone, and set everything through our pitching and defense. The guys did a very good job of that. I don't think
Tyler Howe pitched his best game, but he battled through it
and got out of jams. The second game was all about pitching, and I was happy with the performance of Joe."
The teams will play a Sunday doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex.
Game 1 – Hornets 6, Miss. Valley St. 3: Tied at 1-1, a run in the sixth and four in the seventh broke open a close game. A one-out single to left center by
Waldyvan Estrada scored
Richard Gonzalez, who led off with a single.
In the seventh,
Branden Castro led off with a double down the left field line, and scored on a single to right field by
Dexter Price. After a sacrifice bunt by
Einar Muniz,
Richard Amion walked, and Price scored on a wild pitch.
Richard Gonzalez, who went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI, laced a double to left center scoring Amion. Gonzalez then scored on a single by Estrada, who also went 3-for-4 with two RBI, to push the lead to 6-1.
Howe (3-0) pitched 6 1/3 innings, allowing seven hits, one run, with no walks and five strikeouts, throwing 60 of his 92 pitches for strikeouts.
Game 2 – Hornets 6, Miss. Valley St. 0: Camacho allowed six hits over six innings, with one walk and tied a career high with eight strikeouts in throwing 63 of his 97 pitches for strikes.
Patrick Coffin and
Cameron White combined to pitch the final three innings to preserve the Hornets' third shutout this season.
Leading 1-0, the Hornets scored in each of the middle innings to seize control of the game. In the fourth, Gonzalez' sacrifice fly with the bases loaded scored Price from third to extend the lead to 2-0.
In the fifth, Estrada walked to lead off the inning, and moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt. With two out, Castro tripled to right center, scoring Estrada. Price then followed with a double off the left field wall, scoring Price for a 4-0 Hornet lead.
In the sixth, Amion singled, stole second, advanced to third on a passed ball, and scored on a sacrifice fly by
Cesar Rivera.
