DECATUR, Ala. – The Alabama State softball team left little doubt on day three of the SWAC Tournament Friday at Wilson Morgan Park as the Lady Hornets jumped all over their opponents early and held tight to advance to its second SWAC Championship in three seasons. 
 
The Lady Hornets (21-32) advance to take on Texas Southern (24-16) Saturday at 2 p.m. on Field 4.
 
It will be televised on ESPN3 and can be followed by clicking here:  http://espn.go.com/watchespn/index/_/sport/softball/type/upcoming/channel/espn3/
 
Live stats can be followed at http://portal.stretchinternet.com/swac/.
 
Tweets will be made throughout the game @ASUBUZZ. 
 
In the nightcap, Alabama State defeated Jackson State 6-0 behind a shutout by freshman pitcher Chelsea King. 
 
Earlier in the day, the Lady Hornets took care of Mississippi Valley State 7-3.
 
"I really wanted to instill this concept of hustle and heart in them that they haven't shown before," said ASU softball coach Chris Steiner-Wilcoxson.
 
"They are seeing it that it really does work.  They are seeing that they can accomplish things. I think that's the biggest part of it right now. They're diving, hustling and giving it everything they have and it's making a huge difference out there." 
 
ASU avenged series losses to each in the regular season after losing two of three to both opponents on the road.
 
Against Jackson State, five players had at least two hits. 
 
Perry Hindi was a major catalyst as she got the team going with a screaming line drive home run to left field to put ASU on the board first.
 
Hindi continued her tear with a two-run single in the third inning and finished 2-for-4 with three RBI.
 
Carly Evans went 2-for-4 with a run scored and added RBI singles in the third and seventh. 
 
Valerie Centeno collected three hits including a bullet triple off the right field fence, scored a run and had a RBI. 
 
Laura Aguilar had two hits including a thumping double to right and scored two runs. 
 
In the earlier game against Valley, Evans put the Lady Hornets on the board with a RBI single that scored Jenna Mae Thorne.
 
ASU broke it open with a six-run third inning that saw Thorne and Yanez knock in two runs while Core and Jazzmin Romero each having a RBI in the frame. 
 
The Lady Hornets have allowed three runs or fewer in all five tournament games thus far. 
 
#GOHORNETS#