Dillon Cooper's grand slam was the big blow in Alabama State's 7-3 win over Alabama A&M Saturday at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex.
Cooper's second-inning slam, his seventh home run of the season, erased a 2-1 deficit as Alabama State (33-15 overall, 23-0 SWAC) won its 24th consecutive conference game dating to last season.
The rally started with two outs. Yamil Pagan walked on a 3-1 pitch, Diandre Amion singled on the first pitch, and Carlos Ocasio walked on a 3-2 pitch. On a 1-1 pitch, Cooper drilled a fastball beyond the 400-foot mark in straight away center field to give the Hornets the lead for good.
"Dillon got a good pitch to hit," Alabama State head coach Mervyl Melendez said. "What we as coaches talked to the guys about in the dugout was to be patient, wait for a good pitch, and don't start swinging at pitches out of the zone. He listened, got a pitch that was in the zone, and he hit it hard. Home runs are going to happen. You don't look for home runs, but he absolutely squared the ball on the bat, and he has the power for the ball to take off."
Amion, who went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, had an RBI single in the sixth, scoring Pagan who singled with one out and stole second. Ray Hernandez hit a solo home run to left in the seventh, his 11th of the season, for the final margin.
Tyler Howe (9-2) pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowed nine hits, two earned runs with one walk and three strikeouts as he won his ninth straight start.
"I was proud of Tyler, in that he didn't have his best stuff, but he battled," Melendez said. "He gave us strong innings, pitching into the sixth. I should have gone to the bullpen sooner, but he did a good job. You have to give him credit. He did what we asked him to do."
Angel Alicea pitched the final 3 2/3 innings to earn his second save, and tied a career high with seven strikeouts, the last to end the game with the bases loaded.
"Angel has been doing a great job," said Melendez of Alicea, who struck out seven in his last outing, earning the win in a seven-inning start at Tennessee. "He's able to locate his fastball, curveball and changeup for strikes. He got a little rattled there at the end, but you have to give Alabama A&M credit. They had some really good at bats at the end, and fouled off some good pitches. I was very proud of him and his effort."
The final game of the series is Sunday, with senior day presentations beginning at 12:30 p.m., and the first pitch at 1 p.m.
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