MONTGOMERY, Ala. | Alabama State hits the road for a midweek contest Tuesday evening, facing Samford at Joe Griffin Field in Birmingham.
 
The meeting will be the second between Alabama State (14-12) and Samford (15-14) this season, with the Hornets winning in a run-rule shortened contest 14-4. In that game, Alabama State used 10 strikeouts by Ivanniel Vazquez – including six in his final two innings of work – in eight innings, and a walk-off home run by Hunter Allen to end the contest.
 
Since that game back on March 14, Alabama State has split their eight games. Although they have split their games since the last meeting, the Hornets have won back-to-back conference series and are just one game back in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) East Division.
 
The Hornets enter the contest hitting .267 as a team, including connecting on 54 extra base hits. As a team, Alabama State has collected 230 totals that include 35 doubles, five triples and 14 home runs. They will put those numbers up against Hamp Skinner (3-1, 4.62 ERA) Tuesday night, as Samford sends the lefthander to the mound.
 
The Hornets, as a staff, have a 3.83 earned run average through 26 games and have recorded 215 strikeouts to just 88 walks. They will face a Samford team hitting .245 as a team with 237 hits that include 38 doubles, three triples and 16 home runs. Channing Walker (0-1, 7.88 ERA) will toe the rubber for Alabama State in the contest.
 
Ray Hernandez leads the team in hitting through the first 26 games of the season, hitting .348 with 17 runs scored and a team-high 24 runs batted in. He also has five doubles and seven home runs on the season. Joseph Estrada is hitting .330 on the year with a team-high three triples, while Noel Cheneau is hitting .310 with a team high nine stolen bases.
 
Chris Lewis, inserted into the starting lineup two weeks ago is hitting .310 and has reached base 23 of his 43 official plate appearances, including nine walks and five times he has been hit by a pitch. Hunter Phillips is hitting .307 for the Hornets to round out the hitters above .300 at the midway point of the season.
 
First pitch is scheduled 6 pm in Birmingham, and the game can be heard on the Hornets Sports Network. It will also stream digitally on the SoCon Digital Network.
 
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