MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Laura Aguilar hit her first collegiate home run after 492 career at-bats in the second game of a doubleheader, highlighting a series sweep of the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff at the Barbara Williams Softball Complex Saturday afternoon.
 
Alabama State (8-18, 3-0 SWAC) connected on nine extra-base hits in the two games, scoring a combined 20 runs in the doubleheader en route to conference-opening sweep.
 
In the opener, Alabama State scored early and used a walk-off hit for an 8-0 victory, their first shutout of the season. The Lady Hornets jumped on top quick with a pair of runs in the second when Perry Hindi led off the inning with a single and later scored on an RBI single by Taylor Rosser. They would another run when Aguilar drove in Alexia Boggess on an RBI groundout. They would add another run in the third on Kendall Core's eighth home run of the season – leaving her just two short of tying the school record for a career.
 
The Lady Hornets added a pair in the fourth after Boggess doubled to lead off the inning, she scored on a throwing error in the infield for the 4-0 lead; and the lead would grow to 5-0 when Rosser scored on an Aguilar sacrifice fly.
 
Alabama State ended the game in walk-off fashion in the bottom of the sixth when Rosser connected on a one-out double down the right field line. She later scored when Aguilar singled to center, before Kaylee Davis drove in another run with a double to right center and a double by Core drove in the winning run.
 
Justine Jean (1-6) picked up her first collegiate win in the opener, throwing a complete game shutout and allowing just six hits with a pair of strikeouts.
 
In the series finale, the two teams came out sluggish in the first inning with multiple errors; however, Alabama State was able to put four on the board due in large part a two-run double by Charlene Castro and a two-run home run by Hindi – her fourth of the season to give Alabama State a 4-3 lead.
 
After Arkansas-Pine Bluff (5-18, 0-3 SWAC) tied the game in the second, Alabama State plated three more in the bottom half of the inning highlighted by an RBI groundout by Valerie Centeno. The Lady Hornets added two more in the fourth when Aguilar led off the inning with a home run to right centerfield on the third pitch of the inning to give the Lady Hornets an 8-4 lead. They added another run when Castro singled to right center to score Core for the 9-4 lead.
 
Needing three runs to end the game early, the Lady Hornets did just that in the fifth after Ragan Lacy led off the inning with a single through the right side. She advanced to second on a wild pitch and later scored on a Brittney Wilson bunt to third. Aguilar stepped to the plate and laid a bunt down the third base line to score Boggess, however, Wilson came right in behind her as the flip the catcher went wide allowing the winning run to score.
 
Castro (1-6) picked up her first win of the season in relief, as she went 1.2 innings out of the bullpen and allowed just one hit with three strikeouts.
 
For the day, Aguilar finished 3-for-6 with four runs scored and six runs batted; while connecting on her first home run and recording a stolen base. Davis finished 3-for-6 with three runs scored and a run batted in.
 
Core finished 4-for-6 with two runs scored and two runs batted; while recording a pair of doubles and a homerun. Castro finished 3-for-6 with three runs batted in, while Boggess went 2-for-3 with four runs scored. Meanwhile, Rosser went 2-for-3 in the opener for the Lady Hornets.
 
Alabama State returns to action on the road next weekend against Texas Southern, with the three-game set in Houston beginning Friday with a single game.
 
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