MONTGOMERY, Ala. | Alabama State returns home to host a pair of mid-week games after a brief four-game road swing, hosting North Alabama and Jacksonville State beginning Tuesday night.
Both games are scheduled for a first pitch at 6 pm inside the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex, and due to COVID-19 protocols and socially-distant seating only those individuals listed on the Player Pass List will be admitted into the venue. Alabama State University, and its athletic venues, remains a mask-mandatory campus and all concession stands are cashless.
The meeting between Alabama State (11-13) and North Alabama will be the first meeting between the two this season. The two teams have met just twice prior to the meeting Tuesday night, with the Lions winning both meetings and they will meet again May 4 in Florence.
The Hornets will also host Jacksonville State on Wednesday night in Montgomery in the second of three meetings this season with the two teams opening and closing the season in Jacksonville. The two teams have met 21 times since 2006 with Jacksonville State holding a slim 11-10 lead in the series after winning the season-opener at the Jacksonville State Round Robin Tournament, 5-3. Although the Gamecocks won that contest, Alabama State has won six of the last eight games in the series including four consecutive contests at home.
Trenton Jamison continues to lead Alabama State at the plate hitting .408 on the season after a week in which he hit .500 (10-for-20). He has recorded 40 total hits on the season including six doubles, a triple, and a home run. The redshirt sophomore has scored 21 runs and knocked in another 29, while slugging .673 and recording an on-base percentage of .454.
Meanwhile,
Cristopher DeGuzman is hitting .357 with eight extra base hits including four doubles, two triples and a pair of home runs.
AJ Gardner (.338 / .544 / .400) has added four home runs and 19 runs batted in, while
Abner Benitez (.327 / .527 / .397) has added four doubles, a pair of triples and a home run on the season.
Santiago Garcia (.306 / .569 / .432) has recorded eight doubles, a triple and a home run for an Alabama State squad that has recorded 80 extra base hits in just 23 games.
On the mound,
Payton Harris (0.40 ERA / 0.54 WHIP / 34 K) and
Ryan Velazquez (1.64 ERA / 1.16 WHIP / 18 K) lead Alabama State in earned run average out of the bullpen, while
Austin King (2.38 ERA / 1.41 WHIP / 12 K) leads the starters and is joined
Breon Pooler (3.12 ERA / 1.10 ERA / 42 K) and
Jordan Gould (3.26 ERA / 1.45 WHIP / 33 K) with sub-4.00 earned run averages.
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