GREENWOOD, Miss. – The Alabama State baseball team swept Saturday's doubleheader at Mississippi Valley State, winning 7-2 and 6-1 at Coleman Field.
The Hornets improved to 26-10 overall, 14-1 in Southwestern Athletic Conference play, heading into Tuesday's game at Mercer.
Game 1: Hornets 7, Miss. Valley 2: Dexter Price hits a three-run homer and tied a career-high with four RBI, and
T.J. Renda threw his second straight complete game.
Alabama State scored in the third inning on a two-out single by
Cesar Rivera, scoring Price who led off with a walk and advanced on a two-base error.
After Mississippi Valley took a 2-1 lead in the fourth, the Hornets regained the lead in the sixth. With one out,
Waldyvan Estrada walked, and
Emmanuel Marrero singled to left field. With two outs, Price hit a 1-2 pitch over the right field wall to give Alabama State a 4-2 lead.
The Hornets added three runs in the eighth.
Richard Gonzalez was hit by a pitch and Estrada doubled to right center. Marrero then doubled down the left field line, scoring two. Marrero advanced to third on a wild pitch and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Price.
That was more than enough for Renda (4-2), who retired 12 batters in a row between the fifth and eighth innings. He yielded six hits, two runs, one walk and six strikeouts in throwing 71 of his 103 pitches for strikes.
Game 2: Hornets 6, Miss. Valley 1: Estrada and Rivera each hit two-run homers, and
Joseph Camacho threw seven strong innings to improve to 6-1 on the season.
After Valley (1-25, 1-11) scored in the first inning, the Hornets took the lead in the fourth. After Gonzalez was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, Estrada hit a 1-0 pitch over the left field wall for a 2-1 ASU lead.
In the fifth,
Marcus Swint singled to left field. With two outs, Rivera homered to right field on an 0-2 pitch for a 4-1 lead.
The Hornets added a pair of runs in the eighth as Estrada scored on a throwing error, and Marrero scored on an RBI single by Castro, who went 2-for-3 in the nightcap.
Camacho allowed seven hits, one run, with two walks and two strikeouts. He threw 61 of his 99 pitches for strikes.
