MONTGOMERY, AL – Aleesa Yanez batted 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored including a towering home run to left field and Maddie Phelps mowed down batters in the circle as host Alabama State blanked Jackson State 6-0 to open their three-game conference series Friday night at the Barbara Williams Softball Complex.
 
Alabama State (19-20, 10-0 SWAC) gave Phelps an early cushion by taking the lead in the second inning on Yanez's solo blast and tacked on three more runs in the third on a Yanez RBI single to score Valerie Centeno and a two-run single up the middle by Carly Evans. 
 
Ahead 4-0 after three innings of play, it allowed Phelps (12-7) to settle in as the three-time SWAC Pitcher of the Week hurled her 10^th complete game of the season and third shutout.
 
Phelps struck out the side in the first inning and finished with six strikeouts and just one walk on the night. 
 
It appeared that the Tigers (6-21, 3-6 SWAC) might push across their first run in the fourth when Lindsey Colvin tripled to right center field to lead off. 
 
But, an alert catch and throw from right fielder Brittney Wilson in foul territory to Aleesa Yanez at home plate gunned down Colvin for the 9-2 double play to thwart the attempt to break the shutout.
 
Jackson State put two runners on in the fifth inning, but a 1-2 put out took care of Chelsea Smith at home and Canessa Swanson flew out to center to end the inning. 
 
Centeno added a RBI single in the fifth inning to extend the lead to 5-0 and Charlene Castro hit a tough chopper to shortstop that scored pinch runner Kaylee Davis to make it a six-run lead. 
 
The Lady Hornets will have an opportunity to equal their best start in conference play in school history tomorrow.    
 
Their previous best start in the SWAC was 12-0 back in the 2001 season.
 
Up next
Alabama State continues their three-game series with Jackson State on Saturday at 1 p.m. for a doubleheader.
 
The games will be covered by the SWAC Digital Network at SWAC.org. 

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