ITTA BENA, Miss. | Alabama State swept a doubleheader from Mississippi Valley State Saturday afternoon, clinching a series win in their first Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) series of the season.

The Alabama State (12-3, 2-0 SWAC) pitching staff combined for 30 strikeouts in the two games, including 16 in the opener and 14 in the nightcap. The Hornets won the first game in come from behind fashion, before taking the lead early in game two and holding on late.

Alabama State and Mississippi Valley State will play the final game of the series Sunday afternoon with first pitch scheduled for 1 pm.

Game One – Alabama State 4, Mississippi Valley State 2
Jacknell Guzman (3-0) recorded a career-high 16 strikeouts as he threw his nation-leading third complete game of the season in just four starts. The junior transfer gave up two runs (both earned) on four hits, while walking just three.

At the plate, the Hornets were held to just three hits in the opener, but they took advantage of all three of them after trailing 2-0 through seven innings. The Hornets scored their first run of the game in the top of the eighth inning on an Ian Matos single that scored Cristopher DeGuzman from third after the bases were loaded. They took the lead in the same inning when Trenton Jamison cleared the bases with a double to right to give Alabama State a 4-2 lead.

They would hold on to the lead after Guzman retired six of the last seven batters he faced.

Game Two – Alabama State 5, Mississippi Valley State 3
Breon Pooler (1-0) and Ricardo Rivera combined for 14 strikeouts in the contest, with Pooler picking up nine in 6.0 innings of work in the start. He allowed just one run off five hits and walked just one, while Rivera came on for 3.0 innings of relief work and allowed two runs off two hits with five strikeouts.

Alabama State fell behind early but was able to score a run in the third on a Jabronski Williams single to tie the game at 1-all. They were able to take the lead with two runs in the fourth on a Mississippi Valley State error and a Dilan Espinal squeeze play to score Chris Lewis.

The Hornets added another in the sixth on another Mississippi Valley State error to extend the lead to 4-1, before DeGuzman connected for a solo shot to right center got a 5-1 lead. The Delta Devils were able to get a pair of runs in the bottom of the ninth for the final margin.

Espinal and AJ Gardner each picked up a pair of hits in the second game of the day, while DeGuzman added a single to go along with his solo shot.

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