JACKSON, Miss. | For the second time in as many weeks, Alabama State bounced back from a series-opening loss to sweep a doubleheader in Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) action, this time against Jackson State on the road.

Alabama State (16-13, 7-2) won the first game in run-rule fashion as they ran past Jackson State 12-1; before putting up seven runs in the third inning and holding on for a 13-11 victory in game two to clinch the series. The Lady Hornets pounded out 24 hits combined in the two games Friday.

Game One – Alabama State 12, Jackson State 1

The action started in the first inning when Vanessa Bradford drove in Kaylee Davis on RB groundout for a 1-0 lead, before Jackson State tied the game when Ariana Cruz scored on a triple before Alabama State took control for good.

In the second inning, Alabama State added two more runs - with the first coming on an error by Jackson State after a double by Hailey Walker for a 2-1 lead. The Lady Hornets added another run on the second error of the inning by Jackson State to push the lead to 3-1.

Walker hit the first of three home runs for Alabama State in the game in the third for a three-run shot to push the lead to 6-1, before Alexis Sydnor hit a home run to bring in Amira James and increase the lead to 8-1.

Alabama State sealed the game in the sixth inning when James hit a home run to left field, to give the Lady Hornets a 12-1 lead and ending the game in the sixth inning.

The Lady Hornets pounded out 14 hits in the opener, including three from Walker (3-for-4) and Alexis Massie (3-for-4). Charlene Castro (2-for-3) and James (2-for-4) each picked up a pair of hits in the win. Meanwhile, Vanessa Bradford (6-5) picked up the win in the circle as she worked 5.2 innings and allowed just one run off of five hits with three strikeouts.

Game Two – Alabama State 13, Jackson State 11

Alabama State put seven on the board in the third inning and 12 from the third through the fifth innings to pull away from Jackson State, before holding on down the stretch for the win.

Alabama State got on the board in the third, after the two teams were scoreless through the first two, when Charlene Castro reached on an infield single that scored a pair of runs for the early 2-0 lead. They extended the lead on a bases loaded walk to Hailey Walker, before Alexis Massie reached on a fielder's choice for a 5-0 lead. Alexis Sydnor finished off the scoring with a two-run triple for the 7-0 lead.

The Lady Hornets added one more run in the fourth to extend the lead to 8-0 on a Walker single up the middle to score Castro, before Jackson State was able to put six on the board in the bottom half of the inning to trim the lead to 8-6.

Alabama State pushed the lead to 12-6 in the fifth inning beginning with a Kaitlyn Kilner single down the left field line to score Amira James for a 9-6 lead. The Lady Hornets added three more in the inning highlighted by a Marina Clark triple down the left field line. Jackson State added two more runs in the fifth and another three in the sixth to trim the lead 12-11.

The Lady Hornets scored the final run of the game in the seventh inning on a Clark double to left center to score Kilner for the final margin.

Sydnor led Alabama State in game two, going 3-for-5 with a pair of runs batted in, while Kilner (2-for-2), Castro (2-for-4) and Clark (2-for-2) each picked up a pair of hits in the win. Castro picked up the win in game two, logging 5.2 innings and five up five runs (all earned) on nine hits with four strikeouts; while Justine Jean pitched the final 1.1 innings and gave up six runs (five earned) on four hits.

Alabama State returns to action Tuesday on the road at Troy, with first pitch scheduled for 6 pm.

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