MONTGOMERY, Ala. | Alabama State turns its attention to Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) play this week, hosting Mississippi Valley State in a three-game series beginning Thursday night at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex.

Alabama State (12-11, 6-3 SWAC) looks to keep pace with Jackson State, who is off this weekend and is three games up in the win column over the Hornets in conference play. They will the diamond against a Mississippi Valley State team who won a series over Alabama A&M and took game three of the Jackson State series to sit one game over .500 in the conference race and is just behind the Hornets in the standings.

The Delta Devils come into the game hitting .206 as a team, but they have collected 37 extra-base hits that includes 29 doubles. On the mound, the Delta Devils have a combined earned run average of 10.32. Meanwhile, Alabama State will counter with a team hitting .258 at the plate with 51 extra base hits; while the pitching staff has recorded a 3.90 earned run average.

Alabama State will send Dalton Wilder (0-3, 2.66 ERA) to the mound to start the series on Thursday. The freshman went a career-high six innings against Jackson State in last start, allowing just two runs – one of which was earned. He will be followed on Saturday by Darrius Wright (4-0, 0.29 ERA), who leads the nation in earned run average. The junior has not given up an earned run in four of five starts on the year.

Wright will be followed by Gage Dollar (1-3, 4.44 ERA) on Sunday. The freshman pitched a career-high seven innings earlier this season against Alcorn State, before going just 4.2 innings against Jackson State – a game won by Alabama State in extra innings.

The Hornets are led offensively by Chris Lewis, hitting .350 on the season and has reached base 17 of his 35 plate appearances this season. Ray Hernandez is hitting .342 on the season with a team-high seven homeruns (top 25 in the country) and 21 runs batted in, while Hunter Phillips is hitting .319 and Joseph Estrada .310.

First pitch Thursday night is scheduled for 6 pm, and admission is free to all home games at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex.

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