TROY, Ala. – The Alabama State University baseball team battled back from an early two-run deficit, but dropped a heartbreaker to Troy, 4-3 in 11 innings, in the regular-season finale on Wednesday night at Riddle-Pace Field.
 
With the score tied at 3 in the 11^th, Justin Friend opened the inning with a double down the right field line and Trevor Davis was intentionally walked. After a sacrifice bunt moved Friend and Davis up 90 feet, Chase Smart was intentionally walked to load the bases. Drew Frederic reached on a fielder's choice as John Tatum, who pinch ran for Friend, was out at home trying to score. Jackson Cofer followed and drove in the game-winning run with a base hit to center as Davis scored from third.
 
Brandon Caples started for the Hornets and pitched 7.1 innings. He gave up three runs on six hits with two strikeouts and two walks. Ivanniel Vazquez pitched to one batter in the eighth and turned the ball over to Chase Laney. Laney (2-2) took the loss with one run surrendered on three hits and walked two in 3.0 innings.
 
Troy (27-21) opened the scoring in the bottom of the first on a Brett Lockridge solo homer to left to grab an early 1-0 lead.
 
Lockridge belted his second homer of the night in the third to give the Trojans a 2-0 advantage.
 
Alabama State (28-24) tied the game at 2 in the fourth as the Hornets plated two runs on two hits and took advantage of a Troy error.
 
With two down in the frame, Carlos Ocasio reached on an error and advanced to second on a base hit to left by Ray Hernandez. Chris Biocic walked to load the bases and Hunter Allen followed with a single to left to plate Ocasio and Hernandez.
 
The Trojans answered in the bottom of the inning with a run, but Alabama State quickly tied the game at 3 in the fifth on Joshua Dunson's second homer of the season, a solo shot to left.
 
The score remained tied at three for the next five innings before the Trojans broke through with the game-winning run.
 
Max Newton started for the Trojans and gave up three runs (one earned) on five hits with a pair of walks and two strikeouts in 4.1 innings. Houston Mabray, Corey Childress, Cory Gill and Marc Skinner (4-5) worked in relief.
 
Alabama State concluded the regular season with a 28-24 overall record and an 18-6 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) mark. The Hornets are the No. 2 seed for the conference tournament that will be played May 17-21 in New Orleans (La.) and will face the No. 3 seed from the West, Prairie View A&M. Tournament play begins May 17 from Wesley Barrow Stadium and first pitch is set for 9 a.m.
 
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