JACKSON, Miss. – The Alabama State University softball team ended a three-game conference losing streak with a combination of small ball and power, running away from Jackson State University 11-2 in a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) contest at the JSU Softball Stadium Friday night.
 
Alabama (13-27, 7-6 SWAC) jumped on top of Jackson State in the second inning and never let up, as the game was called after five innings due to the run rule. The Lady Hornets started the second inning with a leadoff walk to Perry Hindi, followed by Charlene Castro reaching on an infield error. Alexia Boggess got both runners moved up 60 feet with a fall to right, setting the stage for the remainder of the inning.
 
Therese Byrne drove home the first of six runs in the inning, when she singled to short scoring Hindi. With runners at second and third with just one out, Taylor Rosser started had the first of two consecutive bunts that scored Castro and pushed the lead to 2-0. Laura Aguilar followed with another bunt that scored Byrne and pushed the lead to 3-0.
 
Valerie Centeno kept the scoring going in the second when she singled to right center to score a pair of runs, pushing the lead to 5-0. Kendall Core drove home the final run of the inning with a double over the centerfielder's head to push the lead to 6-0 in favor of the Lady Hornets.
 
Jackson State scored a single run in the second and third, while Alabama State plated another run in the third inning when Rosser picked up another RBI to push the lead to 7-1. After Jackson State scored another run in the third to make it 7-2, Alabama State turned to the long ball for their final runs.
 
After Centeno singled up the middle with one out, Core hit her 30th career homerun – leaving her one shy of tying for the school record. The Lady Hornets then turned to Amira James who hit a solo homerun out to center to plate the 10th run of the game. After Boggess narrowly missed the third homerun of the inning for Alabama State, she beat the throw to second and scored when Rosser singled up the middle.
 
Centeno led Alabama State, going 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored and runs batted in, leading an attack that led to 15 hits. Rosser connected for three hits and three runs batted in; while Aguilar, Core and Byrne each collected a pair of hits.
 
Vanessa Bradford (8-10) finished with a complete game effort, scattering eight hits and allowing two runs (both earned) and one strikeout.
 
The two teams will face each other against tomorrow morning beginning at 10 am in a doubleheader at the JSU Softball Stadium.

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