EMERSON, Ga. –
Carlos Ocasio homered for the second straight game as he and
Ray Hernandez each had three hits as Alabama State pounded Bowling Green 11-3 in game two of the Perfect Game Challenge.
The Hornets had 13 hits and scored in five of the first six innings as Alabama State (7-6) won for the sixth time in the last seventh games.
A quartet of Hornet pitchers limited Bowling Green (5-6) to only seven hits, and kept the Falcons scoreless over the final seven innings.
"After last night's game, we talked about doing a better job offensively, and today we were able to have much better at-bats," Alabama State head coach
Mervyl Melendez said. "Our approach at the plate was great today. The relief pitching was phenomenal.
Brandon Caples threw three excellent innings to hold them after the second inning, while the offense was in full force, scoring in the middle innings."
Ocasio's double in the first scored
Diandre Amion who walked to put the Hornets on the board. After a wild pitch moved Ocasio to third, he scored on a Hernandez' sacrifice fly to give Alabama State a 2-0 lead.
In the second,
Hunter Allen walked, and
Eriq White was hit by pitch to lead off the inning. After a sacrifice bunt by
Oscar Prioleau,
Yamil Pagan's double to right center field scored both runners to give the Hornets a 4-0 lead.
After Bowling Green scored three in the home half of the second inning, it was all Alabama State. In the third,
Chris Biocic's one-out RBI double to right center scored Hernandez who had singled to extend to a 5-3 lead.
The Hornets broke it open in the fifth. Ocasio homered on the first pitch to left field to extend the ASU lead to 6-3. With the bases loaded, Allen's sacrifice fly to left scored
Dillon Cooper who was hit by pitch. White then singled to center, scoring Hernandez who singled and Biocic who was hit by pitch for a 9-3 ASU lead.
Caples (1-0) earned the win, pitching three innings of two-hit baseball, walking none and striking out two.
Austin Bizzle and
Burke Echelmeier combined to pitch the final four innings, allowing two hits, walking none and striking out five as Hornet pitching did not issue a walk.
Alabama State will host Northern Kentucky in a four-game series beginning Friday at 6 p.m. at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex.
