MONTGOMERY, Ala. | The two teams picked atop the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) East Division will meet this weekend at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex as Alabama State plays host to Jackson State beginning Friday night.
Alabama State (10-7, 4-2 SWAC), picked to win the division, sits one game back of Jackson State after dropping the series to Alabama A&M last weekend – the first series since 2015 that has been dropped to the Bulldogs. They enter the weekend sitting one game behind Jackson State (12-4, 5-1 SWAC), the defending division champion, in the standings after the Tigers took two of three from Mississippi Valley State last weekend.
The Hornets come into the weekend contest having split their two midweek non-conference games, falling to Florida A&M in 10 innings and run-ruling Samford in eight on Wednesday night at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex.
Through the first 17 games of the season, Alabama State is hitting .265 with 153 total hits – with 39 of those being for extra bases. The Hornets have combined to hit 24 doubles, five triples and 10 home runs thus far this season, and have stolen 33 bases in 38 attempts. Meanwhile, Jackson State comes in hitting .302 as a team with 154 total hits – including 49 extra base hits – and have stolen 22 bases in 31 attempts.
Hunter Phillips, who was inserted into the leadoff role the last two games, leads the team in hitting at .360 with 18 hits – including a pair of doubles – and eight runs batted in. He is also slugging .400 and has an on-base percentage of .468. Meanwhile,
Noel Cheneau is hitting .341 on the year and leads the team in stolen bases with eight after recording three against Samford Wednesday night.
Joseph Estrada is third on the team in hitting this season with a .338 average and has three doubles – to go along with three triples – while recording six stolen bases.
Santiago Garcia (.321),
Hunter Allen (.310) and
Ray Hernandez (.304) – who leads the team with four home runs – are all over .300 thus far in 2018.
The Hornets will turn to a pair of freshmen this weekend on the mound in high school teammates
Dalton Wilder (0-2, 3.14 ERA) and
Gage Dollar (1-2, 2.29 ERA), with
Darrius Wright (3-0, 0.38 ERA) also throwing this weekend.
First pitch Friday is scheduled for 6 pm, and the game can be heard on the Hornet Sports Network.
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