HOUSTON, Texas – The Alabama State University baseball team concluded its eight-game road trip on Sunday as the Hornets dropped the series finale to Houston, 19-11, in a non-conference game at Darryl & Lori Schroeder Park.
 
Terrell McCall (1-3) started for the Hornets and lasted 1.1 innings. He was tagged for four runs on four hits with two walks and one strikeout. Darren Kelly, Jon Roblez, Ricky Perez, Chase Laney and Brandon Caples pitched in relief.
 
Houston (13-5) opened the scoring in the first inning as Joe Davis doubled with two outs down the right field line. Davis advanced to third and scored on two wild pitches to give the Cougars a 1-0 lead. McCall struggled to get the final out of the frame as Jake Scheiner drew a walk and Jared Triolo singled through the left side. Lael Lockhart walked to load the bases, but Jordan Monacy bounced into a fielder's choice as Lockhart was out at second to end the Houston inning.
 
The Cougar offense plated four runs in the second to grab a 4-0 lead.
 
Corey Julks leadoff base hit up the middle and stole second. After a strikeout Connor Hollis reached on an infield hit as Julks moved to third. Hollis advanced to second on a stolen base and Grayson Padgett was hit by a pitch to load the bases. After a pitching change, Davis roped a base hit to left center to plate Julks and Hollis. Scheiner singled to left to score Padgett as Davis stopped at second as Houston extended the advantage.
 
Alabama State (7-14) got a run back in the third as Eriq White singled through the left side and advanced to second on a passed ball. After Edgardo Rivera grounded out to second, Carlos Ocasio, who went 3-for-5, reached on an infield hit as White came in to score, cutting the Cougar lead to 4-1.
 
After Houston scored a run in the bottom of the third, the Cougars put the game away in the fourth with nine runs on five hits to extend the advantage to 14-1.
 
Alabama State picked up five runs in the fifth as Joseph Estrada doubled to right to begin the inning and advanced to third on a Joshua Dunson ground out. Rivera plated Estrada with an infield hit. Ocasio followed with a base hit to center and advanced to third on Cage Cox's double down the right field line, which brought Rivera in to score. Gustavo Rios bounced out to the shortstop to score Ocasio from third. Ray Hernandez followed with his second homer of the season, to left field, as Cox came in to score as the Hornets cut the deficit to 14-6.
 
The Hornets would close the gap to 16-9 in the eighth after scoring five runs, but that would be as close as Alabama State would get.
 
John King (3-0), who retired six out of his first seven batters, earned the victory. He surrendered six runs (five earned) on 10 hits, with three strikeouts. Nolan Bond, Brayson Hurdsman and Joey Pulido pitched in relief.
 
Alabama State, which ended its eight-game road trip with a 2-6 record, returns to action on Tuesday at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex as the Hornets take on South Alabama. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
 
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