MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. | Alabama State pounded out three home runs Friday on the opening day of the EMU Florida Tournament, but it wasn't enough as the Lady Hornets fell to Villanova and Eastern Michigan.
 
Alabama State (4-12) fell 5-3 to Villanova in the first game of the day as they fell behind by three runs in the first inning. Villanova added two more runs in the fifth to go ahead 5-0 before Alabama State got going in the sixth inning.
 
Hailey Walker connected on her first home run of the season, a two-run shot to trim the deficit to 5-2 before Hatty Shope came up and hit her first of the season to trim the deficit to 5-3.
 
Justine Jean pitched all six innings for Alabama, giving up five runs off of five hits with three strikeouts.
 
In game two, Eastern Michigan jumped on top early with a first inning home run en route to a 4-1 victory. Alabama State trimmed the deficit to a pair on Shope's second home run of the day.
 
Vanessa Bradford suffered the loss, going five innings and allowing four runs on six hits. She also struck out four. Skyler Sullivan came on in relief with a scoreless inning of work.
 
The Lady Hornets return to action Saturday at 4:00 pm to take on University of Incarnate World following directly after with Buffalo University at 6:30 pm.
 
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