ITTA BENA, Miss. | Alabama State freshman
Channing Walker worked nearly four innings of scoreless relief and the Hornets scored late in a 6-5 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) victory over Mississippi Valley State Friday afternoon.
Walker (2-3) came on in the sixth inning after Mississippi Valley State was able to get three runs across in the fifth to tie the game, and chase Alabama State (25-20, 16-6 SWAC) starter
Darrius Wright. He worked 3.2 innings and allowed just two baserunners to reach, both via walks, before giving way to
Ivanniel Vazquez with two outs in the ninth inning. The senior promptly delivered a strikeout for his third save of the season.
The freshman was able to hold Mississippi Valley State (11-29, 9-13 SWAC) off long enough for the Hornets to get a run across in the seventh to take the lead.
Gustavo Rios reached on a one-out double to left and scored on a two-out single by
Hunter Allen, his third RBI of the day, to give the Hornets a 6-5 lead.
Alabama State scored all six of their runs with two outs, beginning with a solo home run by
Ray Hernandez with two outs in the first for the 1-0 lead. Mississippi Valley State was able to take the lead with a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the inning, the first of five unearned runs on the day for the Delta Devils.
Cage Cox delivered a two-out single in the third to tie the game at 2-all as he scored
Joseph Estrada. The Hornets added two more runs in the inning when Allen doubles home Rios and Cox for a 5-3 lead. Mississippi Valley State was able to get a pair of runs in the fifth to take a 5-4 lead, before Alabama State was able to tie it in the sixth.
After
Hunter Phillips reached, he was sacrificed to second on a bunt from
Cristopher DeGuzman before Estrada delivered a two-out double to tie the game at 5-all.
Estrada finished the day 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored with a pair of doubles, as the Hornets pounded out 15 hits. Hernandez finished 3-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI, while Rios finished 3-for-4 with a pair runs scored. Allen collected three RBI as he finished 3-for-4 on the day.
The two teams meet again, weather permitting, Saturday at 3 pm at the MVSU Baseball Field. The game can be heard on the Hornet Sports Network, beginning at 2:45 with the pregame show.
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