MONTGOMERY, Ala. | Alabama State returns to the diamond Friday in a three-game conference series at Alabama A&M, with first pitch scheduled for 2 pm in the first game of the series tomorrow.
Alabama State (8-4, 3-0 SWAC) returns to the diamond for the first time since a conference series against Alcorn State last weekend due to their game against South Alabama being rained out Wednesday.
The Hornets look to ride the momentum of sweeping their conference-opening series against Alcorn State over the weekend, a series in which they outscored their opponent 23-1 and threw two shutouts. Freshman
Gage Dollar finished off the weekend with the first no-hitter of his career, being awarded the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Pitcher of the Week award and being named to the Collegiate Baseball National Players of the Week list.
The Hornets enter the weekend hitting .258 as a team with 80 runs scored off 102 hits. They have recorded 30 extra base hits this season, while also stealing 18 bases in 23 attempts.
Noel Cheneau leads the Hornets in hitting at .407 with a pair of doubles and a home run, while also recording four stolen bases.
Joseph Estrada is hitting .357 through 12 games this season with 15 hits and 13 runs scored, including three triples; which has him in the top five in the nation. He has also recorded 14 runs batted in and has an on-base percentage of .464.
Hunter Allen is hitting .325 with four doubles and 10 runs batted in, while
Ray Hernandez leads the team in home runs (four) and
Yamil Pagan in stolen bases (five).
Alabama State will send
Darren Kelly (2-0, 1.35 ERA) to the mound Friday, entering the game leading the nation in strikeouts after recording 30 in the last 15 innings. They will send
Darrius Wright (3-0, 0.50 ERA) to the mound Saturday, leading in the nation in wins, and then
Gage Dollar (1-1, 2.08 ERA) on Sunday fresh off his first career no-hitter. All three pitchers have won SWAC Pitcher of the Week awards this season.
The series resumes on Saturday at 2 pm, and concludes on Sunday at 1 pm in Huntsville.
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