Box Score NEW ORLEANS – SWAC Pitcher of the Year Joseph Camacho's complete-game effort sparked Alabama State to a 6-2 win over Alcorn State Thursday at Barrow Stadium.

Camacho allowed just four hits, two runs with no walks and four strikeouts as he improved to 10-1 on the season as Alabama State (36-19) advances to the semifinals Friday at 6 p.m. against the Alcorn State – Grambling State winner.

"He had a great performance," head coach Mervyl Melendez said of Camacho. "He kept the ball down, and gave us nine very good innings. He was the difference in the ball game.
Minus the one pitch he left up in the seventh inning, Camacho kept the ball down for the most part."

After Alcorn State (12-40) erased a two-run deficit to tie the game at 2-2 after seven innings, the Hornets scored three runs in the eighth. Waldyvan Estrada walked, Marcus Swint pinch ran for him, and Richard Gonzalez was hit by a pitch. On a sacrifice bunt by Emmanuel Marrero, a throwing error down the first base line allowed Swint and Gonzalez to score. Dexter Price's infield single scored Marrero to give Alabama State a 5-2 lead.

In the ninth, Richard Amion, Cesar Rivera and Marcus Swint all singled to load the bases. On a triple steal, Amion stole home for the final margin.

"Resiliency is one big part of what this team is about," Melendez said. "When the game gets tougher, our guys get tougher, and that's a great trait to have as a baseball team. You have to be mentally and physically tough in tough situations, and our guys have been that in the last two games."