MONTGOMERY, Ala. | Fresh off their Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) series sweep this weekend, Alabama State returns home for the beginning of a five-game homestand as they host South Alabama Tuesday and Mississippi State Wednesday night.
 
Alabama State (17-13) enters the week after scoring 33 runs in a doubleheader, just hours after coming from behind and being down to their final strike to tie the game and win it in 11 innings. The Hornets will face South Alabama for the first time this season after their earlier contest was rained out this season, while they will face Mississippi State for the first time in school history at Riverwalk Stadium as part of the MAX Stingfest.
 
Ray Hernandez leads Alabama State at the plate this season at .361 with a team-high seven home runs and 27 runs batted in. He also has a team-high .602 slugging percentage and is tied for the team lead in stolen bases with nine. Meanwhile, Joseph Estrada is hitting .333 on the season with four doubles, a team-high three triples and 21 runs batted in; while Noel Cheneau enters the week after a career-high six RBI performance in the final game of the Alcorn State series.
 
Alabama State will send Channing Walker (0-2, 8.55 ERA) to the mound against South Alabama, his first start since last week on the road at Samford.
 
Meanwhile, South Alabama (17-13) enters the week after falling to Coastal Carolina over the weekend, and will finish off their four-game road swing in Montgomery. Dylan Hardy leads the Jaguars at the plate, hitting .352 this season, with six doubles and a pair of triples. Meanwhile, Travis Swaggerty is hitting .308 with seven home runs and six doubles on the season for the Jaguars.
 
First pitch Tuesday is scheduled for 6 pm at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex, and admission is free to that contest.
 
Alabama State will face Mississippi State (17-16) in their other midweek game, facing the Bulldogs for the first time in school history, in the MAX Stingfest at Montgomery's Riverwalk Stadium with first pitch scheduled for 6 pm.
 
The Hornets will send Ivanniel Vazquez (1-3, 4.71 ERA) to the mound against the Bulldogs, who enter the week following their series win over Ole Miss last weekend. Jake Mangum leads the Bulldogs at .326 on the year with 12 doubles and a pair of triples this season. Josh Hatcher is hitting .297 with three doubles and three home runs this season for Mississippi State.
 
Tickets are still available for the MAX Stingfest by calling 334-323-2255 or visiting BiscuitsBaseball.com. Both games will be carried on the Hornet Sports Network.
 
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