NATCHITOCHES, La. – The Alabama State baseball team lost a 1-0, 11-inning contest at Northwestern State Friday night in the opening game for both teams.
The Demons (1-0) finally pushed across a run in the 11
th, as Daniel Garner's sacrifice fly scored Cort Brinson, who led off with a single, stole second base, and later advanced to third on wild pitch.
"I thought we played a great game," Alabama State head baseball coach
Mervyl Melendez said. "Our pitching was phenomenal tonight. We just couldn't make the adjustments at the plate. Tomorrow is a new day, and we must have a new attitude. I'm very proud of the fight our team showed tonight."
Joseph Camacho led the pitcher's duel for Alabama State, pitching 7 1/3 innings, allowing seven hits, no walks, and six strikeouts on 88 pitches.
The Hornets missed scoring opportunities in the first (bases loaded, one out), fifth inning (runner on third, one out), and eighth inning (runner on second, one out).
Camacho blanked the Demons, pitching out of trouble several times in the game. After allowing a one-out double in the fourth, Camacho retired the next two batters to end the inning.
Camacho pitched out of big trouble in the sixth and eighth innings. In the sixth after the Demons put two on with none out, Camacho induced Garner into a 6-4-3 double play. With a runner on third and two outs, Daniel Fry flied out to left to end the inning.
Camacho and
Hunter McIntosh teamed to get out of trouble in the eighth. After a leadoff double and a hit by pitch, a sacrifice bunt moved Demon runners to second and third. Enter McIntosh, who struck out Brinson on eight pitches, and got Garner to fly to center to end the inning.
Gustavo Rios went two-for-four among the Hornets' six hits in the game.
The Hornets and Demons will play game two of the series Saturday now at 5:30 p.m., with the rubber game Sunday at 1 p.m. Get live stats for all games at bamastatesports.com, or watch Northwestern State's live stream of the game for $6.95.
