ITTA BENA, Miss. – The Alabama State University softball team pounded out 31 hits in a doubleheader sweep of Mississippi Valley State University to secure the second seed from the East Division in the upcoming Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Championship Tournament.
Alabama State (16-30, 10-8 SWAC) pounded a season-high 20 hits against Mississippi Valley State (13-31, 8-10 SWAC) in a 15-5 victory in the second game of the doubleheader. The Lady Hornets wasted little time in getting on the board as they scored in each of the first four innings, including five in the top of the third to take a 9-4 lead.
Justine Jean (4-11) picked up the victory with a complete game effort, scattering eight hits over six innings. She allowed five runs, while striking out one in the win.
Offensively, the Lady Hornets pounded out seven extra base hits which included four doubles, two triples and one home run.
Kaylee Davis led four players who collected three hits in the game two victory, finishing 3-for-5 with a pair of runs scored and a run batted in.
Diauna Nelson finished 3-for-5 with a run scored, two runs batted and a triple; while
Charlene Castro finished 3-for-5 with a run scored and pair of runs batted in; while belting her fourth home run of the season and second in two conference weekends.
Perry Hindi capped off a big day at the plate, as the senior went 3-for-4 with three runs scored, one run batted in and two doubles.
Laura Aguilar led a contingent of four other Lady Hornets who finished with a pair of hits as she went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored; while
Valerie Centeno finished 2-for-5 with a run scored, three runs batted in and her sixth triple of the season.
Alexia Boggess finished 2-for-4 with a run scored, run batted in and a double; while
Brittney Wilson finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored, three runs batted in and a double.
Kendall Core added a pair of runs batted in, leaving her one short of second place all-time at the school in that category with 148.
The Lady Hornets rode the arm of
Vanessa Bradford and the bat of
Perry Hindi to an 8-5 victory in the opener Saturday afternoon.
Bradford (10-12) bounced back from Friday night's loss with a complete game effort as she scattered nine hits and allowed five runs (four earned) while striking out two. Meanwhile, Hindi finished the first game 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored and two runs batted in; including her fifth home run of the season.
Castro finished 2-for-4 with a pair of runs batted in, while all nine starters got a hit in the opening game of the doubleheader. Nelson returned to the starting lineup and scored a pair of runs, while Aguilar stole a pair of bases for the Lady Hornets.
Alabama State trailed 4-1 after three innings, but scored seven runs over the next three innings – including four in the fourth to pull away with the win.
Alabama State returns to action on Wednesday afternoon in their final regular season game of the year, playing on the road at Mercer with first pitch scheduled for 4 pm.
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