MONTGOMERY, Ala. I Alabama State (11-25, 6-6 SWAC) split a Friday doubleheader by scores of 4-3 and 8-3 to secure the series win over Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) opponent Mississippi Valley State at the Barbara Williams Softball Complex.

Alabama State 4, Mississippi Valley State 3
MVSU opened the scoring in the top of the third, and added two more runs to take a 3-0 lead in the fifth before Alabama State got on the board in the bottom half of the inning after Morgan Gaither doubled in the centerfield gap and later scored on a passed ball.

Still trailing by two scores in the seventh, Jamaica Flowers began the inning by drawing a walk, however Mississippi Valley got the next two batters out and needed just one more to win the ball game.

Arianna Atchley got on with a single to shortstop in her lone plate appearance followed by Kindall DeRamus who tripled down to left on the first pitch to score both Flowers and Atchley on the play and tie the ball game at 3-3. On the next at bat, pinch hitter Aishja Wilcher subbed in and singled down the left field line to bring home DeRamus for the game winning run to clinch the weekend series.

DeRamus led the Hornets at the plate, going 3-for-4 along with having 2 RBIs and scoring the winning run. Skyler Sullivan (10-8) picked up the win with her 15th complete game of the season and allowed three runs off of three hits and struck out six.

Mississippi Valley State 8, Alabama State 2
After leaving a runner on in the second, Alabama State loaded the bases in the third after Gaither was hit by a pitch, followed by a single by Jaeda Gardner and an infield single from Madison Myers, yet only scored one run as DeRamus hit a sacrifice fly to center to bring in Gaither.

Mississippi Valley responded in the fourth inning by adding a run of their own to tie the ball game, however the Hornets retook a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth when Gardner hit another single, this time to center field to bring home another score.

The Delta Devils found the plate again in the top half of the sixth, adding two runs to go up 3-2 and adding five runs in the top of the seventh for the final score.

Gardner and Myers lead Alabama State at the plate, both going 2-for-3 in game two, while Gardner also added an RBI to her totals. Vanessa Bradford (0-8) worked a complete game for the Hornets and gave up four earned runs off of six hits to go along with a strikeout.

Alabama State will return to the field on Friday, April 23 as they travel to Huntsville, Alabama to face rival Alabama A&M in a three-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 3 pm.

Follow the Hornets
For complete coverage of Alabama State University softball, follow the Hornets on social media @BamaStateSB (Twitter), /BamaStateSports (Facebook), and @BamaStateSports (Instagram), or visit the official home of Alabama State athletics at BamaStateSports.com.