HOUSTON, Texas – The last two Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) champions, and the preseason favorites to win their divisions this year, are set to meet at Memorial Park in a three-game series beginning Friday afternoon as Alabama State University and Texas Southern University will square off in a doubleheader beginning at 1 pm.
The series was originally scheduled for a single game on Friday and followed by a doubleheader on Saturday; however, weather predicted for the Houston area on Friday night have forced the series to change to a doubleheader on Friday and a single game beginning on Saturday at 12 noon.
The matchup not only features the last two conference champions, but also features nine (out of a possible 22) players who were selected preseason all-conference; as well as the Pitcher of the Year in Lauren Rodriguez (Texas Southern) and Player of the Year
Kendall Core (Alabama State).
Alabama State (8-18, 3-0 SWAC) enters the matchup off a three-game sweep of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, ending a five-game losing streak, and are currently tied with Alcorn State atop the East Division of the conference. The Lady Hornets have five players hitting over .300 for the season through the first 26 games, including reigning College Madness SWAC Player of the Week
Laura Aguilar. The senior second baseman is hitting .310 on the season with a team-high 26 hits, and is coming off a week in which she .462 with two triples and her first career home run.
Kaylee Davis leads the offensive output for the Lady Hornets, hitting .375 with 15 hits and seven runs scored (with just 15 starts); while Core is hitting .347 with a conference-leading eight home runs and 26 runs batted in this season.
Perry Hindi is hitting .343 with four home runs, while
Valerie Centeno is hitting .313 with seven extra-base hits for Alabama State.
They will be going up against a Texas Southern (10-8, 2-1 SWAC) pitching staff that has posted a 3.18 team ERA this season, and are led by Rodriguez (3-3, 1.64 ERA). She has logged 38.1 innings in six starts, giving up seven earned runs off of 21 hits with 33 strikeouts. She is joined in the circle by Tiffany Marshall (2-1, 2.12 ERA) and Jasmin Fulmore (2-2, 3.00 ERA) who have combined for six starts and have given up a combined 11 earned runs off of 42 hits.
Meanwhile,
Vanessa Bradford (6-6) leads the Lady Hornets on the mound this a 4.83 earned run average in 15 starts (19 appearances). She has logged a team-high 78.1 innings pitched and allowed 54 earned runs off of 99 hits, while striking out a team-high 39 batters.
Justine Jean (1-6) enters the weekend fresh off her first collegiate victory, a complete game shutout; while
Charlene Castro has contributed a pair of saves on the mound.
They will be going against a Texas Southern offense that is hitting just .262 on the season, with three players over .300 through 16 games. Jocilynn Eliis leads the way for the Lady Tigers at .387 with nine runs scored, while Madilynn Marek (.370) and Chanler Powell (.317) have combined for 15 runs batted in. Sierra Valdez and Dominique Tello each have driven in 11 runs for Texas Southern this season.
For more information on Alabama State University athletics, follow us on Twitter @BamaStateSports and like us on Facebook. For more information on Alabama State University softball on Twitter @BamaStateSB.
