MONTGOMERY, Ala. | Senior Ali LaPread collected four RBIs to help lead the Alabama State Hornets past the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats 9-4 on Saturday.
Sophomore Jorhan Laboy (4-3) started on the mound and picked up the win for Alabama State (16-16, 7-6). The southpaw went five innings, giving up four runs, three earned, on 11 hits, allowing no walks and striking out one. Junior Caio Araujo also made an impact on the mound for the Hornets, throwing three shutout innings while allowing no hits, with no walks and two strikeouts.
LaPread went 3-for-4 with a double and a home run in addition to his four RBIs for the Hornets. Senior Randy Flores put together a noteworthy performance at the plate as well, going 1-for-5 with a home run and three RBI. Freshman Juan Cruz also chipped in for Alabama State, putting together two hits in three trips to the plate while adding a home run, a walk and an RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Trailing 2-0, the Hornets first put runs on the board in the second inning. Cruz put Alabama State on the board with a two-out solo home run off junior Marcos Gamboa.
The Hornets kept the deficit at 2-1 before taking the lead in the third. Alabama State scored three runs, all of them coming on a three-run homer off the bat of LaPread, scoring junior Kyler McIntosh and senior Jack Hay, which brought the score to 4-2 in favor of the Hornets.
Bethune-Cookman narrowed Alabama State's lead to 4-3 before the Hornets stretched the advantage to 6-3 in the fifth inning. The Hornets got back-to-backrun-scoring doubles from LaPread and sophomore Devin Chandler to pick up a couple of runs.
The Wildcats gained ground, closing the gap to 6-4 until Alabama State added some insurance in the eighth. The inning resulted in three runs for the Hornets, all of them scoring on a three-run homer from Flores to right, bringing the score to 9-4 in favor of Alabama State. The score remained 9-4 for the rest of the game, as the Hornets coasted to the win.
GAME NOTES
» LaPread had three base knocks in the game for Alabama State.
» The Hornets power output was led by LaPread, who compiled two extra base hits in the ballgame.
» LaPread drove in four runs for Alabama State.
» Alabama State's highest scoring inning was the eighth, when it pushed three runs across.
» Alabama State took the lead at 4-2 in the bottom half of the third and never lost that advantage.
» Alabama State hitters hit three dingers in the ballgame.
» Alabama State went 5-for-11 (.455) with runners in scoring position.
» Alabama State pitchers limited Bethune-Cookman to just 2-for-12 (.167) with runners in scoring position.
» Alabama State pitchers faced 40 Bethune-Cookman hitters in the game, allowing two ground balls and 19 fly balls while striking out four.
» The Hornets drew six walks from Bethune-Cookman pitching.
» LaPread led the Hornets at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a double, a home run and four RBI.
» Bethune-Cookman was led offensively by senior Jose Gonzalez, who went 2-for-5 with a double, a triple and an RBI.
» Junior Dylan Dudones led the Wildcats pitching staff, throwing 1.2 innings of one-run ball.
UP NEXT: Alabam State and Bethune-Cookman wrap up the series on Sunday at 1 p.m.
