ITTA BENA, Miss. | Alabama State finished off their fourth Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) sweep of the season as they swept a doubleheader from Mississippi Valley State Sunday, in turn, claiming the East Division of the conference.
Alabama State (27-20, 18-6 SWAC) trailed for much of fame one until they were able to tie the game in the fifth and take the lead in the sixth, running away for a 9-1 victory in the opener over Mississippi Valley State – the game that clinched the division title.
The Delta Devils were able to get on the board first with a single run in the third, before Alabama State answered with a
Gustavo Rios single to short that scored
Joseph Estrada from third to tie the contest. The Hornets added four in the sixth inning to take an insurmountable 5-1 lead.
Noel Cheneau led off the inning with a triple and scored on the play on an errant throw for a 2-1 lead, before Estrada hit a two-run single to left and
Ray Hernandez doubled for the four-run lead.
Alabama State added a pair of runs in the seventh, including on a squeeze by
Yamil Pagan before adding a run in each the eighth and ninth for the final margin.
Cheneau finished game one going 5-for-5 with a double and triple, and with two runs scored. Estrada finished 3-for-5 with three runs batted in, while
Cristopher DeGuzman finished with three hits.
Gustavo Rios and
Chris Lewis each added two hits each in the win.
Dalton Wilder (3-3) picked up the win, working 7.1 innings and allowing one run off of six hits with eight strikeouts.
The Hornets used a pair of home runs, including one in the 12th inning off the bat of Hernandez to take an 8-7 victory in the nightcap to complete the sweep. After falling behind 7-5 after eight innings, the Hornets were able to take advantage of a pair of Mississippi Valley State errors to tie the game and send it to extra innings.
Estrada doubled to right to send DeGuzman to third, who then scored on a throwing error from right to trim the deficit to 7-6. The Hornets then tied the game when
Joshua Dunson hit into a fielder's choice that pushed Estrada home on a throwing error, setting the stage for Hernandez in the 12th.
Estrada finished 3-for-6 with a pair of runs scored and an RBI, while Hernandez finished 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored and three RBI. Rios finished 2-for-5 with three runs batted in, including a two-run home run in the third, while DeGuzman finished 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored.
Chase Laney (6-1) picked up the win with 5.2 innings of relief, allowing just one hit with eight strikeouts.
Ivanniel Vazquez got the start for the Hornets and worked 5.2 innings, allowing three runs off of five hits with nine strikeouts, as the Hornets recorded 17 strikeouts as a team in game two.
Alabama State will be off until a week from Wednesday, when they will open play in New Orleans (La.) at the SWAC Baseball Championship.
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