MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Alabama State University closed out the pre-conference portion of the schedule with a doubleheader sweep of Lindenwood (St. Charles, Mo.) University at Wheeler-Watkins Sports Complex on Saturday.
Alabama State exploded for eight runs in the first inning and then saw starting pitcher Kyler McIntosh post a career-high 13 strikeouts in a 9-2 win in the nightcap.
The Hornets held off a late Lindenwood rally to claim a 4-3 win in game one.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
FINAL GAME 1: Alabama State 4 Lindenwood 3
FINAL GAME 2: Alabama State 9 Lindenwood 2
Location: Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex | Montgomery, Ala.
Records: Alabama State 10-8 | Lindenwood 2-14
Get Social: Twitter: @BamaStateBB | @BamaStateSports | Facebook: @BamaStateSports
HOW IT HAPPENED | GM 1
- ASU opened the scoring in the bottom of the first with Randy Flores' solo home run on the first pitch of the inning, giving the Hornets a 1-0 lead.
- The Hornets scored what would be their final three runs of the game with a Trenton Jamison double that plated Jayden Sloan; a Jack Hay sacrifice that scored Flores; and a Kyler McIntosh single, scoring Jamison.
- Lindenwood scored a run in each of the fourth, eighth and ninth innings. The Lions left 12 runners on base in the game, including the tying run in the ninth.
ON THE MOUND | GM 1
- Osvaldo Mendez started and lasted just over an inning for ASU. He allowed three walks but no hits.
- Jorhan LaBoy went three innings, giving up an unearned run on four hits. He had two strikeouts.
- Ricardo Rivera followed with an inning-and-a-third of work. He gave up two hits and two walks but no runs. He was credited with the win, his second of the season.
- Luis Rodriguez and Shadai Colon pitched the seventh and eighth innings before Colon came in to earn the save in the ninth.
- Sebastian Colon came in the ninth with runners at first and second and no outs. He suffered a balk to allow a runner to score but stuck out Brett Bowers on three pitches to end the game.
- Eli Brown was the losing pitcher for the Lions, going five-plus innings, He allowed four runs on six hits.
INSIDE THE BOX | GM 1
- Flores hit his second home run of the season in the first on the first pitch of the game.
- Jameson had the only other extra-base hit, a double, his sixth of the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GM 2
- The Hornets opened an 8-run lead through the first two innings, and starter Kyler McIntosh pitched seven solid frames in a 9-2 win for the sweep.
- ASU got back-to-back home runs from Jack Hay and Ian Matos as part of a 5-run first inning. They struck for three more runs in the second with Cristian Lopez knocking in two runs with a single.
ON THE MOUND – GM 2
- McIntosh gave up two runs on six hits. He earned five strikeouts, all looking, for his first win of the season (1-1).
- Austin King finished the final two innings with two strikeouts, facing the minimum six batters.
INSIDE THE BOX | GM 2
- Matos' homer drove in three runs in the first inning, his sixth of the season.
- Hay followed with his fourth home run of the season on the very next pitch.
- Flories added a third run in the inning with a bases-loaded walk.
- In the second inning, Matos scored on a Lindenwood error and Lopez drove in two with a single to right.
- Matos earned his fourth RBI of the game with a single to left, scoring Kerrigan Edmonson.
- Trenton Jamison had a double and a run scored for the Hornets.
UP NEXT: Alabama State opens SWAC play in Daytona Beach, Fla. against Bethune Cookman. The three-game series begins at 6 p.m. CDT on Friday followed by single games on Saturday and Sunday.
...
