MONTGOMERY, Ala. | Alabama State returns home for a four-game home stand beginning Wednesday night, hosting Southern Miss at the Barbara Williams Softball Complex.
First pitch is set for 6 pm, and admission is free to all home softball games.
Alabama State (9-9) enters the midweek contest after a pair of games in the HBCU Tournament at Patriot Park in Acworth (Ga.), hosted by Grambling State. In that tournament, Alabama State split a pair of games against Tennessee State and Delaware State with the final game of the weekend ending a four-game losing streak.
The Lady Hornets last played at home March 2 in the Black and Gold Tournament, dropping their final game of the tournament to Tennessee Tech. They have played 11 of their first 18 games at home this season at the Barbara Williams Softball Complex, heading into the week.
Vanessa Bradford leads six players hitting over .300 for the season, coming in at a .500 clip in 22 official at-bats. She has 11 hits that includes a pair of doubles and a home run, while driving in seven runs. Meanwhile,
Alexis Sydnor is hitting .400 on the season with 20 hits that include three doubles and a home run. She has scored 14 runs, and driven in another 11 for the Lady Hornets.
Kristin Gunter, the reigning Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Hitter of the Week, enters the week hitting .327 with four doubles and 10 runs batted in – while also scoring 10 runs.
Hailey Walker (.300) and
Jordan Amerson (.300) round out the Lady Hornets at .300 or better.
In the circle,
Charlene Castro (1-1, 1.73 ERA) leads the team in earned run average at 24.1 innings; while Bradford (4-4, 3.08 ERA) has logged 38.2 innings.
Justine Jean (4-4, 7.38 ERA) rounds out the staff for the Lady Hornets, recording 38 strikeouts in 58.0 innings pitched.
Southern Miss (11-10) will play a pair of midweek games this week, beginning with Alcorn State Tuesday night before facing the Lady Hornets. They are led by Sarah Van Schaik at the plate, hitting .397 with 11 extra base hits that includes 10 doubles and 19 runs batted in. Chase Nelson is hitting .349 with 20 runs scored and seven extra base hits, while Destini Brown is hitting .333 with 19 runs scored on the season.
In the circle for Southern Miss, Abby Traham (3-6, 2.12 ERA) leads the team in innings pitched with 59.1, while Kaylan Ladner (2-3, 3.73 ERA) has made 10 appearances on the season.
Southern Miss leads the all-time series 7-0 over Alabama State, including winning last season 8-0 last February in Hattiesburg (Miss.).
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