MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Alabama State University baseball team stranded 12 on base as the Hornets dropped the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) series opener, 4-2, to Jackson State on Friday night at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex.
The loss knocked Alabama State into a tie for first with Jackson State in the SWAC East Division and the two teams will resume its three-game series Saturday and Sunday.
Tyler Howe (5-4) took the loss in 7.1 innings of action. He surrendered four runs on six hits, walked three and fanned nine.
Austin Bizzle pitched the final 1.2 innings in relief.
Alabama State (17-17 overall, 13-3 SWAC) struck first with one run on two hits in the bottom of the second.
With two down in the frame,
Joseph Estrada singled through the right side and advanced to second when
Hunter Phillips walked.
Hunter Allen delivered the clutch base hit with a single to left as Estrada came in to score, giving the Hornets a 1-0 advantage.
Jackson State nearly tied the game at 1 in the fourth as Bryce Brown sent a towering fly ball to left. ASU left fielder
Diandre Amion went back to the wall and timed his jump perfectly to rob Brown of a tying home run and keep Alabama State on top.
The Tigers (27-11, 13-3) plated three runs in the fifth on three hits and took advantage of an error to grab a 3-1 lead.
Jarvis Warner was hit by a pitch to begin the inning and with one down advanced to second and third on an error by Howe. Wesley Reyes brought Warner home on an infield hit to tie the game at 1. Cornelius Copeland followed with a base hit to left as Reyes advanced to second. With two down in the inning, Lamar Briggs doubled to center as Estrada lost the ball in the lights in centerfield as score Reyes and Copeland.
For the second time in the game, the Hornets loaded the bases, this time in the sixth inning.
Estrada walked and Phillips reached on an infield hit. Both runners advanced a base on Allen's sacrifice bunt.
Eriq White followed and his fly ball dropped in shallow right center to load the bases. However, Amion struck out and
Carlos Ocasio fouled out to end the Alabama State threat.
The Tigers added another run in the eighth as Brown walked and stole second. He scored on a base hit to center by Jesus Santana to give Jackson State a 4-1 advantage.
The Hornets cut the deficit to 4-2 in the bottom of the frame as Estrada drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on an error. He took third on a flyout by Phillips. After a pitching change, Allen singled to center to plate Estrada.
Jordan Bolden (6-2) earned the victory. He gave up one run one five hits with six walks and four strikeouts in five innings of work. Joshua Santiago, Francisco Cervantes and Jose Tirado pitched in relief. Tirado picked up his fifth save by pitching the final 1.2 innings.
Alabama State will look to get back into the win column and halt the two-game losing streak on Saturday against Jackson State.
First pitch against the Tigers is set for 2 p.m. at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex.
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