LORMAN, Miss. – Hunter McIntosh struck out a career-high 14 batters in six-plus innings and Carlos Ocasio tied a season high with four RBI as Alabama State defeated Alcorn St. 10-4 Sunday to complete the weekend sweep.
Alabama State (31-14 overall, 21-0 SWAC) won its season-high eighth straight game, extended its SWAC winning streak to 22 dating to last season, and joined the 2014 Hornets and 2012 Jackson State Tigers with the most wins in SWAC play in the 24-game league format which began in 2006.
McIntosh struck out 10 of the first 14 batters he faced, including striking out the side in the first and fourth innings. The senior from Columbus, Ind. struck out four batters in the fourth, as the first Alcorn State hitter reached on a wild pitch after striking out. McIntosh did not allow a hit until there were two outs in the fourth, and allowed just four hits and two runs with one walk, pitching into the seventh inning.
Ocasio reached base four times, going 3-for-3 with a hit-by-pitch and stole two bases as the leading candidate for SWAC Player Of The Year Honors increased his SWAC-leading RBI total to 56 on the season. Ray Hernandez hit his 10th homer of the season, a solo shot to left in the third inning, as the Hornets scored eight runs in the first four innings.
Yamil Pagan led off the game with a single to right, and Diandre Amion walked. Ocasio then singled to center to score Pagan, while Amion scored on a fielding error on the hit as Ocasio moved to third on the play. With one out, an RBI groundout by Chris Biocic scored Ocasio for a 3-0 lead.
In the second with one out, Eriq White singled and advanced to second on a passed ball. Oscar Prioleau walked and Pagan reached on an error to load the bases. Amion then walked to score White, and Ocasio's sac fly scored Prioleau for a 5-0 lead.
With two outs in the fourth, Ocasio was hit by a pitch, stole second and third, and then scored on a wild pitch. Dillon Cooper then was hit by a pitch, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and scored on a Biocic single to left for an 8-0 lead.
Ocasio completed the Hornets' scoring with a two-run double off the wall in left in the eighth inning.
The Hornets return to action Tuesday at Florida A&M in a 4 p.m. game, with a live radio broadcast on bamastatesports.com.
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