MONTGOMERY, Ala. – It was just what the Alabama State softball team needed – two critical wins in conference play to boost morale and strengthen their playoff positioning for the impending SWAC Tournament.
 
The Lady Hornets (16-29 overall, 10-6 SWAC) achieved both goals on Friday as the team came through with a four-run sixth inning to propel themselves past Alcorn State 7-3 in game one and then run-ruled the Lady Braves 10-0 in five innings to take game two.
 
Sophomore centerfielder Valerie Centeno came up with the go-ahead RBI single in the sixth to give ASU a 4-3 advantage. 
 
Junior left fielder Jenna Mae Thorne followed with a RBI single and then junior first baseman Carly Evans blasted a two-run double to give the Lady Hornets a four-run cushion.
 
Freshman pitcher Chelsea King (4-4) stayed on to finish a complete game. 
 
King allowed three runs (none earned) on seven hits and walked one.  She struck out two batters. 
 
Evans finished 1-for-2 with a walk, a sacrifice fly, a double and three RBI. 
 
Centeno reached base three times by going 1-for-2 with two walks, two stolen bases, two runs scored and a RBI. 
 
Alexis Johnson went 2-for-3 with a RBI. 
 
In game two, six different Lady Hornets had at least one RBI, the team drew a season-high nine walks, and junior pitcher Maddie Phelps tossed five innings and allowed no runs to earn the victory. 
 
Phelps (7-10) allowed just five hits, struck out four and walked one. 
 
ASU began the scoring with a RBI single by Thorne in the first inning and then added three more runs in the third on a RBI groundout by Kendall Core, a RBI double down the left field line by Johnson and a RBI single up the middle by Perry Hindi. 
 
The Lady Hornets poured it on with three additional runs in both the fourth and fifth innings. 
 
A RBI double by Thorne made it 5-0.
 
With the bases loaded, Hindi drew a walk and Brittney Wilson was hit by a pitch to push the lead to 7-0. 
Senior Yvette Ducoing sealed it with a three-run double to left field. 
 
Thorne batted 2-for-4 with a double, two RBI, a stolen base and a run scored. 
 
Centeno was 1-for-2 with two walks, two stolen bases, three runs scored.
 
Perry Hindi was 1-for-1 with two walks and two RBI.
 
The Lady Braves dropped to 2-30 overall and 0-13 in SWAC play. 
 
Alabama State will return to action Saturday at 1 p.m. to play the final game of the three-game series against Alcorn State. 
 
Live stats can be followed at http://www.sidearmstats.com/alasu/softball/
 
Tweets will be made throughout the game @ASUBUZZ. 
 
#GOHORNETS#