NATCHITOCHES, La. – The Alabama State baseball team suffered another close loss to Northwestern State, losing 4-2 Saturday at Brown-Stroud Field.
 
Tyler Howe pitched six strong innings in the loss, allowing just five hits, two earned runs, with one walk and six strikeouts. A total of six Hornet players each had one hit, but struck out 12 times as a team, and a two-out, third-inning error led to two Demon unearned runs.
 
"We played well again. We're just not getting the timely hits which I know eventually will come," Alabama State head baseball coach Mervyl Melendez said. "We're not putting the ball in play enough at this time to win ball games. We can't win many games when you strike out in double digit numbers like we have in the last two games."
 
Trailing 2-0 after two innings, Alabama State (0-2) scored in the third. Diandre Amion hit an infield single to lead off the inning, and advanced to second when Eric White reached on a throwing error. Following a ground out which moved the runners to second and third, Yamil Pagan's sacrifice fly scored Amion to cut the deficit to 2-1.
 
After falling behind 4-1 after three innings, the Hornets scored again in the fifth. Dillon Cooper singled through the left side. With one out, White doubled down the left field line moving Cooper to third. An RBI groundout by Carlos Ocasio scored Cooper for the final margin.
 
The Hornets and Demons will play the rubber game of the series Sunday at 1 p.m. Get live stats for the game at bamastatesports.com, or watch Northwestern State's live stream of the game for $6.95.
 
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