LORMAN, MISS. – With an opportunity to secure its third straight conference series sweep, the Alabama State softball team seized it behind another solid pitching performance, aggressive base running and opportune early game situational hitting.   
 
It all equated to a 3-1 win against Alcorn State Sunday at the Alcorn State Softball Complex to place the Lady Hornets in the driver's seat for the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Eastern Division's top seed.
 
Alabama State (18-19 overall, 9-0 SWAC) turned to Maddie Phelps (11-7) just like it did in Friday's 9-1 victory and the right handed senior pitcher delivered with a similar outcome.
 
The Grass Valley, Calif. native worked a complete game, struck out three and scattered six hits to pick up her second victory of the weekend. 
 
The ASU offense gave Phelps the lead before she had even stepped inside the circle.    
 
Leading off the game, Laura Aguilar worked a nine pitch at bat, fouling off several pitches, before blooping a single into center field.
 
"Laura did a good job in the lead off," said ASU head coach Chris Steiner-Wilcoxson.
 
"Her job is to get the offense going.  And she did a great job all weekend by putting a lot of pressure on the defense.  She took advantage of her opportunities." 
 
Aguilar proved to be pesky on the base paths by stealing second and then came around to score on an infield RBI single by Kendall Core to put ASU on top 1-0.
 
Alabama State, winners of 10 of their past 12, added two more runs in the second when Carly Evans led off the inning with a single. 
 
The Lady Hornets turned even more aggressive on the base paths as pinch runner Chelsea Rivera stole two bases and Brittney Wilson reached on a walk before stealing second. 
 
Aguilar lifted a pop fly to shortstop, which dropped in, as both Rivera and Wilson scored to make it 3-0.
 
It's all they would need. 
 
"That was our game plan," Steiner-Wilcoxson said.
 
"We wanted to work on our aggressiveness on the base paths.   Chelsea [Rivera] does a good job of running bases and she's one of our best off the bench.  She's smart and aggressive.  Yeah, we got thrown out once on a double trying to stretch it into a triple.  But, we wanted to make things happen and you're more likely to get your offense going when runners are in scoring position." 
 
Alcorn State (9-19, 5-4 SWAC) cut into the lead with a run in the third inning on a RBI double down the right field line by Braves' first baseman Taylor Hughes.
 
In the fourth, Core helped thwart an Alcorn threat by snaring a line out with cat-like reflexes and then fired over to first baseman Carly Evans for the 5-3 double play. 
 
The Lady Hornets turned a second double play on a 6-4-3 completed by Alexia Boggess, Aguilar and Evans to turn away another Alcorn threat.
 
"Our defense really stepped it up for Maddie [Phelps] in the middle innings," Steiner-Wilcoxson said.
 
"The defense was behind her especially during crucial times.   I was really proud of her [Phelps] because I don't think she had her best stuff today, but she threw well at the end and shut the door."
 
ASU will not hold another conference game until the April 15-16 home series against Jackson State.
 
"We know every game is going to be a fight," said Steiner-Wilcoxson. 
 
"We have to stay within ourselves and keep fighting as a team." 
 
Up next
Alabama State will have a nine day break before playing at Georgia State on Tuesday, April 12. 
 
#GOHORNETS#