HUNTSVILLE – The Alabama State baseball team used four big scoring innings en route to a 15-5 win in eight innings Sunday over Alabama A&M in the final game of the series Sunday afternoon.

Emmanuel Marrero went 3-for-5 with three runs scored and a career-high six RBI, and Raul Perez went 2-for-5 with a career-high three RBI as the Hornets (17-6 overall, 9-1 SWAC) won its third straight conference series.

"Both players have been swinging the bat really well," head coach Mervyl Melendez said. "Raul got off to a good start in limited at-bats, and Emma has been very steady throughout the year. He's had those games where he's performed really well, and that was the case today. He's seeing the ball very well, had some good at-bats, saw some good pitches to hit, and put some good swings together."

The Hornets got off to a fast start with five first-inning runs. Richard Amion and Cesar Rivera walked to begin the game. Amion stole third and scored on Waldyvan Estrada's double to right field, advancing Rivera to third. Marrero then hit a two-run single to right field scoring Rivera and Estrada for a 3-0 lead. After a walk to Brandon Castro, an error and two outs, Perez hit a two-run single up the middle to score Marrero and Castro to give the Hornets a big lead.

"I was happy to get off to a good start," Melendez said. "Then, it got tight as Alabama A&M put some good innings together, so the five run lead we put together didn't last too long. I was happy with our performance at the plate. We changed our approach to match what they were trying to do, and I thought our coaching staff did a very good job of adjusting to it, and our players did a great job of executing it."

However, Alabama A&M (7-14, 4-5) scored one run in the first, two in the second, and one in the third to cut its deficit to 5-4, the Hornets broke the game open with 10 runs in the final three innings.

In the sixth, Einar Muniz walked and Amion reached on an error following an out, Estrada singled to left field, scoring Muniz. Marrero then tripled to right field, scoring Amion, while Estrada was out at home plate. After Castro walked, Price reached on an error, scoring Marrero. Castro later scored on a wild pitch to give the Hornets a 9-4 lead.

Alabama A&M added a run the sixth before the Hornets scored again. In the seventh, Marrero's two-run double to right field and Castro's RBI single to left field extended the Alabama State lead to 12-5.

Dillon Cooper led off the eighth with a triple, and scored on Perez's single to left field. After Muniz reached on a fielder's choice and Perez was safe on an error, both runners advanced to second and third on a balk, and Amion walked to load the bases. Rivera's RBI ground out scored Perez, and Marrero's sacrifice fly scored Muniz for the final margin.

"They're big, they're all big," Melendez said of the Hornets winning all three conference series this season. "This one is just as big because we know Alabama A&M is a much-improved ball club. To come out of here with two victories – selfishly you want to win all three – and winning the last two games in run-rule fashion really speaks highly of the young men we are coaching and their mental approach to establishing themselves to play hard throughout the ball game."
 
Alabama State continues its nine-game road trip Tuesday at Samford at 6 p.m.