NEW ORLEANS, La. – Two-time SWAC Pitcher of the Year Joseph Camacho kept grinding with an inspiring 140-pitch performance into the eighth inning, freshman Yamil Pagan came through with an important RBI single and relief pitchers Michael Estevez and Michael Tellado picked up huge strikeouts out of the bullpen as Alabama State held on to defeat Prairie View A&M 5-4 in the opening round of the SWAC Tournament at Wesley Barrow Stadium on Wednesday.
 
The Hornets (31-17) advance to play Southern, who defeated Jackson State 10-5 earlier in the day, on Thursday at 3 p.m.
 
Alabama State last played Southern during the second round of the 2013 SWAC Tournament and won 10-9. 
 
ASU built a 4-0 lead largely on the strength of their No. 8-9-1 hitters in the lineup. 
 
Cesar Rivera blasted a RBI double over the right fielder's head to plate Ray Hernandez in the third inning to get the Hornets on the board first.
 
Hernandez added a two-run triple into the left center field gap to score P.J. Harris and Pagan. 
 
Marcus Swint followed with a RBI single in the fourth. 
 
"Ray [Hernandez] did a good job," said ASU coach Mervyl Melendez. "But, also another key at bat with two outs was by Marcus Swint.
 
On the mound, Camacho (12-0) blanked the Panthers' offense through the first five frames before surrendering a three-run sixth.
 
The Hornets nursed the delicate lead into the bottom of the seventh when Pagan provided an enormous insurance run on a RBI single to score Waldyvan Estrada and increased the lead to 5-3.
 
Camacho continued to battle as he stayed in after one mount visit from Melendez before finishing with seven and two-thirds innings pitched while allowing four runs on seven hits. 
 
He struck out four and walked three. 
 
"He [Camacho] was very tough," Melendez said. "He didn't want to come out of the game, but that's a part of the game. We were very proud of him." 
 
Camacho, who has been a steady anchor at the top of the rotation, improved to 22-1 over the past two seasons in 27 appearances. 
 
The Panthers (15-35) inched to within 5-4 on an Anthony Fernandez RBI single. 
 
But, that's when the Hornets' bullpen stepped up.
 
Estevez came on to strike out the only batter he would face with runners on second and third. 
 
The Hornets again ran into trouble in the ninth inning with the bases loaded and one out.
 
But, Tellado was up to the task as he struck out the final two batters to seal it. 
 
"You've got to give Prairie View credit," Melendez said. "They did a good job and fought hard."
 
#GOHORNETS#