MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Alabama State University softball team will play their second SEC opponent in as many weeks, traveling to second-ranked Auburn University Wednesday night with first pitch scheduled for 6 pm at Jane B. Moore Field.
Alabama State (5-12) split their four games this weekend, dropping a pair to Loyola-Chicago and winning a pair over North Carolina A&T. Freshman
Vanessa Bradford finished the weekend with a pair of wins in the circle, and pitched her first complete game of the season in the second win over North Carolina A&T. Meanwhile, at the plate,
Alexia Boggess and
Kaylee Davis had big weekends. Davis picked up four hits in a pair of starts, while Boggess – and
Amira James – hit her first home run of the season.
Meanwhile, the Lady Hornets' opponent – Auburn – has won five consecutive games after dropping a 1-0 decision to nationally-ranked James Madison. The two loses on the schedule for the Tigers have come against nationally-ranked opponents, as their other loss was to Washington.
Alabama State has struggled at the plate this season hitting just .262 through the first 17 games, however,
Perry Hindi is hitting .404 with 19 hits – which include seven extra base hits – and three home runs. She is second on the team in home runs and runs batted in (nine), behind
Kendall Core who is hitting .313 with four home runs and 18 runs batted in.
Meanwhile,
Kaylee Davis is hitting .375 after a four-hit weekend, while
Valerie Centeno is at .333 with four extra base hits and six runs scored.
They will be facing an Auburn pitching staff that has recorded a 0.68 earned run average through 21 games. Kaylee Carlson is 11-0 this season with a 0.51 earned run average and 37 strikeouts, while Makayla Martin is 8-2 with 0.67 earned run average and 54 strikeouts.
In the circle for Alabama State, freshman
Vanessa Bradford has led the way through 10 starts with a 5-3 record and a 3.96 earned run average. She has logged 53.0 innings and has recorded 30 strikeouts, with one complete game. Fellow freshman
Justine Jean (0-5) has started six games and has a 5.38 earned run average for Alabama State, while
Charlene Castro has recorded a pair of saves.
They will be facing one of the more potent offenses in the country with four hitters over .300 for the year including All-American third baseman Kasey Cooper, who will enter the game hitting .310 with four home runs and 24 runs batted in. Victoria Draper (.400), Carlee Wallace (.392 with four home runs) and Haley Fagan (.377 with four home runs) are all near the top of the SEC in hitting for Auburn; who has pounded out 57 extra base hits.
The game on Wednesday will be a homecoming for Alabama State head coach
Chris Steiner-Wilcoxson, a former letter winner at Auburn. She hit the first home run in school history for Auburn, while playing from 1997-99. She was a two-time SEC All-Academic selection, and led the team in home runs in 1997. She currently ranks third in the Auburn record book in triples and stolen bases.
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