DECATUR, Ala. – The Alabama State softball team had their opportunities to swing the game in their direction.
 
But, Texas Southern finished more times than not to win its second consecutive SWAC Softball Championship with a 9-0 win against Alabama State Saturday at Wilson Morgan Park.
 
The Lady Hornets (21-33) had golden chances in both the first and fifth innings, but left the bases loaded without pushing across a run. 
 
ASU left eight runners stranded in all. 
 
Texas Southern (25-16) advances to the NCAA Tournament.
 
For ASU, it marks the second time in the past three seasons that they reached the SWAC Championship Game. 
 
But, it was the first trip to the SWAC Championship for first-year ASU coach Chris Steiner-Wilcoxson, who had guided Auburn-Montgomery to a NAIA Championship victory in 2014. 
 
"I am proud of them for fighting so hard all week and coming together as a team," Steiner-Wilcoxson said.
 
"I'm disappointed with how it ended, but I don't want to take away from the previous days' success.  We just didn't play our best today.  We weren't mentally or physically as sharp as we had been in the previous games." 
 
Trailing 1-0 in the first inning, the Lady Hornets started a two-out rally as Jenna Mae Thorne, Carly Evans and Kendall Core all laced singles to load the bases. 
 
But a fielder's choice on a groundout to second ended the threat.
 
ASU attempted to rally once again in the fifth with their best opportunity of the game.
 
With no outs, Aleesa Yanez smacked a ground-rule double over the left field fence. 
 
Brittney Wilson worked a terrific at bat by fouling off seven straight pitches before drawing an 11-pitch walk.
 
Diauna Nelson singled through the left side to load the bases once again.
 
However, a strikeout, pop up and ground out in order ended their second big threat of the game.
 
Yanez and Nelson each singled in the seventh inning, but were also stranded on base.
 
In the circle, Chelsea King and Maddie Phelps split duties. 
 
King (8-7) worked four innings and allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits. 
 
She struck out two and walked none. 
 
Phelps worked three innings and allowed five runs (three earned) on five hits. 
 
She struck out two and walked none. 
 
Three Lady Hornets made the SWAC Softball All-Tournament Team including Thorne, Core and King. 
 
#GOHORNETS#