ITTA BENA, Miss. | Alabama State blasted seven home runs in a doubleheader sweep of Mississippi Valley State in Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) action Saturday afternoon at the MVSU Baseball Field, winning their fifth conference series of the season.
Alabama State (16-13, 10-3 SWAC) held on to win the first game of the day 5-4, behind the arms of
Jeremy Rivera and
Terrell McCall throughout the game. The Hornets jumped ahead with a four-run third inning, highlighted by a pair of doubles and a two-run home run from
Yamil Pagan – the first of two on the day from the senior for a 4-0 lead.
The Hornets extended the lead to 5-0 on a
Santiago Garcia home run in the seventh inning, before Mississippi Valley State (6-16, 5-9 SWAC) rallied back with three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to trim the deficit to 5-4. However, that is when McCall came in to record his second save of the season with 2.0 innings of hitless relief with four strikeouts.
Rivera (4-2) picked up the win in his first conference start of the year, working 6.2 innings and allowing four runs (three earned) while scattering eight hits. He also recorded seven strikeouts and walked three in the win. Pagan led four Alabama State players with a pair of hits each in the opener, along with
Cameron Hearn (2-for-4), Garcia (2-for-4) and
Cristopher DeGuzman (2-for-3).
Alabama State jumped out to an early 8-1 lead through three innings after
Darren Kelly (4-0) gave up a first inning run to Mississippi Valley State. The senior finished with a complete game effort in the 12-2 run-rule victory (seven innings) by the Hornets, allowing just one hit with seven strikeouts.
The Hornets hit five home runs in the nightcap, including a three-run shot from
Hunter May to give Alabama State the lead for good (3-1). Pagan added his second home run of the day, while
Noel Cheneau,
Chris Lewis and DeGuzman each added a home run in the win.
Alabama State led 9-2 headed into the seventh inning, before they put up three runs in the inning and held Mississippi Valley State off the board for the run-rule victory. Cheneau led the Hornets at the plate in the nightcap, finishing 3-for-5 with a pair of runs batted in; while Pagan (2-for-3), Hearn (2-for-4), Garcia (2-for-4), and Lewis (2-for-3) each picked up a pair of hits in the win.
The final game of the series is scheduled for 1 pm Sunday at the MVSU Baseball Field, with the pregame at 12:45 pm on the Hornet Sports Network.
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