The Alabama State baseball team scored early runs and made it standup, backed by 13 strikeouts from the pitching staff in a 3-1 home win over Jacksonville State.
 
The win by the Hornets (11-7) is just the second in 33 meetings against Jacksonville State. It's the first win in six games for Alabama State since the 2012 season, as Mervyl Melendez earned his 100^th win as Alabama State head coach.
 
"I'm very proud to accomplish our 100^th victory at ASU," said Melendez, who has 479 career victories in his 16^th season as a college head coach and his fourth as Hornets' head coach. "Our players have made this possible for our staff. We must continue to build Alabama State baseball into a national household name."
 
Trailing 1-0 in the home first, the Hornets  tied the score. With one out, P.J. Biocic doubled down the left field line. With two outs, Chris Biocic singled to left field, scoring P.J. Biocic to tie the game.
 
P.J. Harris led off the second inning with his fourth home run of the season to give the Hornets a 2-1 lead.
 
In the third inning, P.J. Biocic singled to lead off the inning and advanced to second on wild pitch. Following a walk, Chris Biocic singled to left field to score P.J. Biocic for the final margin.
 
"Offensively, it was all about them," Melendez said of P.J. Biocic (3-for-4, 2 runs scored) and Chris Biocic (2-for-4, 2 RBI). They did a good job, especially in the first inning, scoring with two outs. In the second, we get the big home run from P.J. Harris, who got a pitch over the plate and put a good swing on it. When he gets out in front of a pitch, the ball travels a long way. He's got man power, and I'm very happy for him."
 
Michael Tellado (1-0), the second of five Hornet pitchers, got the win in relief. Every ASU pitcher struck out at least one hitter Jacksonville State (9-8) hitter, with Armando Ruiz striking out the side in the ninth for his fourth save.
 
"It takes a team effort to get a victory, and the pitchers showed up big tonight," Melendez said. "It started with Tyler Howe, who pitched very well. I was glad to get him out of the game after having success. Then Tellado, and Michael Estevez, and Jorge Pantoja and Ruiz came in and all threw strikes. If you throw strikes, you have an opportunity to win games. We were very fortunate to hit our spots."
 
The Hornets return to Southwestern Athletic Conference play this weekend, hosting Alabama A&M in an Eastern Division showdown Saturday in a 1 p.m. doubleheader and Sunday in a 1 p.m. single game at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex.
                               

#myasubaseball#