MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Despite a four-hit day from senior Kendall Core, the Alabama State University softball team dropped a pair of games in their home opening Black and Gold Tournament, held at the Barbara Williams Softball Complex Friday night.
 
Alabama State (1-6) dropped the opener of the tournament to UT-Martin (6-0), 14-6 although Core picked up a pair of extra-base hits in the game. The senior hit a two-run home run in the first inning to highlight a three-run inning, and later picked up a triple to drive home another run. Laura Aguilar also picked up a pair of hits in the opener for the Lady Hornets.
 
Alabama State took an early 3-0 lead after the first inning, before UT-Martin stormed back with an 11-run second inning to take an eight-run lead. The Lady Hornets continued to battle their way back into the contest, scoring a pair of runs in the third and another in the fourth, before the Skyhawks were able to put the game away with three runs combined in the fifth and sixth innings.
 
Core finished the first game 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored, and three runs batted in; while Aguilar 2-for-4 with a run scored and run batted in. Vanessa Bradford (1-3) suffered the loss, working three innings and allowing eight runs (all earned) off of nine hits. She also recorded two strikeouts.
 
Renate Meckl led UT-Martin with four hits, while five other players picked up a pair of hits as the Skyhawks pounded 18 hits to the Lady Hornets' 10.
 
The Lady Hornets fell in the nightcap to Akron, 11-3, despite another two-hit performance from Core and Aguilar. The two seniors combined to go 4-for-6 with a run scored and run batted in.
 
Akron (2-5) jumped ahead early on the Lady Hornets with a pair of runs in the first before Alabama State was able to answer with a Core single that scored Aguilar. That was the lone run for the Lady Hornets until the fourth when they put two on the board in the fourth inning. After a lead-off walk to Perry Hindi, the senior came around to score when Charlene Castro's ball was mishandled at second to trim the deficit to 7-2. The Lady Hornets scored their last run when Alexia Boggess picked up an RBI single.
 
Justine Jean (0-2) suffered the loss in the nightcap, going 6.2 innings and allowing 11 runs (seven earned) on 10 hits. She also recorded a pair of strikeouts in the loss.
 
Alabama State returns to action Sunday on the final day of the Black and Gold Tournament, hosting Fort Wayne at 12:30 pm. The tournament will run through Sunday with five games scheduled at the Barbara Williams Complex, beginning at 11 am Saturday morning.
 
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