MONTGOMERY, Ala. | Alabama State fell a couple of times Saturday afternoon to Eastern Kentucky and Nicholls State as a part of the Black and Gold Tournament at the Barbara Williams Softball Complex.
 
Game One – Alabama State 1, Eastern Kentucky 5
Eastern Kentucky (15-2) scored a pair of runs in the top of the first inning to take the early lead, then added three more on a homer in the fifth to down Alabama State in the first game this afternoon.
 
The Colonels' Ariyana Miranda hit the three-run blast that effectively put the game away in the fifth and proved to be the biggest of EKU's 10 hits in the ballgame. Mollie Paulick (6-1) dominated the final 4.2 innings of the game, not allowing a hit while striking out six batters.
 
Alexis Sydnor led things off for Alabama State by ripping the first pitch she saw down the left field line for a double. After a successful sacrifice bunt from Alex Massie, Samantha-Jo Mata lined one into center for a sacrifice fly.
 
Sydnor's double would prove to be the only hit that the Lady Hornets would be able to scratch off EKU pitching. Sydnor accounted for all of Alabama State's offensive output in both games against the Colonels this weekend.
 
Skyler Sullivan (3-1) fell for the first time in 2020 after giving up the two runs in the top of the first inning. Vanessa Bradford and Alexa Veamoi combined to close out the game in the circle for ASU.
 
Game Two – Alabama State 2, Nicholls State 11
The other Colonels (10-12) used an eight-run first inning to pull away early in game two. Altogether, the eight runs came off eight hits and three fielding errors by Alabama State (7-12).
 
Alexis Sydnor helped spark the offense in the bottom of the first, following a Kindall DeRamus infield single with a bunt single of her own. Marina Clark then drove in Sydnor to put the first run on the board.
 
Kaley Anthony put a dent in the scoreboard in her own way, nearly bouncing one off the scoreboard with a solo homer in the bottom of the fourth. It was Anthony's second homer in as many days this weekend.
 
Alexa Veamoi (3-2) wore the loss after allowing 10 runs – three earned – in 1.1 innings of work in the circle. Justine Jean struck out four in the final 3.2 innings of work to finish the game for the Hornets.
 
Up Next
Alabama State wraps up the weekend with a matchup against Southern Miss at 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon at the Barbara Williams Softball Complex.
 
Follow The Hornets
For complete coverage of Alabama State University softball, follow the Hornets on social media at @BamaStateSB (Twitter), @BamaStateSports (Instagram) and /BamaStateSports (Facebook) and visit the official home of Alabama State athletics at www.BamaStateSports.com.