MONTGOMERY, Ala. | Juan Cruz delivered three-run triple in the eighth inning helped Alabama State rally for a 9-7 win over Western Illinois on Sunday at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex.
The Hornets trailed 7-3 goiing into the seventh inning before scoring two in the seventh and four in the eighth to erase the deficit.
Senior Kyler McIntosh (1-0) got the win for Alabama State (5-7). The right-hander went three shutout innings, giving up one hit, two walks and striking out one. Senior Javon Christian also pitched well, going 1.2 innings, surrendering one run on two hits, walking none and striking out one.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Hornets got the scoring started early, putting one run on the board in the bottom the first inning with the game still scoreless. Alabama State scored twice in the inning on back-to-back run-scoring doubles from sophomore Juan Cruz and junior Wilbert Espinal.
The Hornets lost the lead they built in the first, but got back on the board in the sixth trailing 6-2. Alabama State scored once on an RBI single off the bat of senior DeMarckus Smiley, which tightened the Leathernecks lead to 6-3.
Western Illinois built their lead to 7-3 before the Alabama State offense got going, reducing that lead to 7-5 in the seventh. The Hornets drove two runs across on a two-run double off the bat of junior Kameron Douglas that brought home Cruz and McIntosh.
Alabama State kept the Leathernecks off the board before taking the lead in the eighth. The Hornets scored four runs in the inning, highlighted by a three-run triple off the bat of Cruz, bringing the Alabama State advantage to 9-7. The score remained 9-7 for the rest of the game, as the Hornets held on for the win.
GAME NOTES
» Alabama State snapped a three-game losing streak and avoided WIU's bid to sweep the series.
» Alabama State got three-hit games from both freshman Fabian Santana and Cruz.
» Junior Jaxon Christensen struck out five Leathernecks hitters.
» The Hornets power output was led by Cruz, who compiled two extra base hits in the ballgame.
» Cruz drove in four runs for Alabama State.
» Alabama State's highest scoring inning was the eighth, when it pushed four runs across.
» The Hornets out-hit the Leathernecks at a 14-10 clip.
» Santana stole two bases in Sunday's game.
» Alabama State went 6-for-16 (.375) with runners in scoring position.
» Alabama State pitchers faced 45 Western Illinois hitters in the game, allowing eight ground balls and 12 fly balls while striking out seven.
» Cruz led the Hornets at the plate, going 3-for-5 with a double, a triple and four RBI.
» Western Illinois was led offensively by junior Kyree Alexander, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI.
» Senior Frederick Romano led the Leathernecks pitching staff, throwing six innings of three-run ball.
Alabama State hosts Georgia State on Tuesday at 6 p.m at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex.
