JACKSONVILLE, Fla, | Alabama State University baseball fell 3-1 before taking a 14-4 run-rule win in the nightcap of a doubleheader on Saturday at Dusty Rhodes Stadium.
GAME 2 | Alabama State 14, North Florida 4
JACKSONVILLE, Fla, | Sophomore Juan Cruz collected four hits to help power Alabama State Univeristy to a 14-4 run-rule win over the North Florida University at Dusty Rhodes Stadium on Saturday.
Freshman Trey Power (1-1) got the win for Alabama State (6-11). The southpaw went five innings, giving up one run on five hits, allowing three walks and striking out three.
In addition to his four hits, Cruz had a walk and three RBI to lead the Hornets. Freshman Alex Espaillat put together a noteworthy performance at the plate as well, going 3-for-5 with a triple, a walk and five RBI. Senior DeMarckus Smiley also chipped in for Alabama State, putting together two hits in three trips to the plate while adding a double, two walks and two RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Hornets scored in six different innings on the way to victory. Alabama State broke a 0-0 tie and took the lead for good at 3-0 in the first inning The big hits for the Hornets in the inning were a two-run single off the bat of Cruz and a two-run single from Espaillat.
GAME NOTES
» Cruz racked up four hits on the day for Alabama State.
» Espaillat drove in five runs for Alabama State.
» Every Alabama State starter reached base safely in the win.
» Alabama State's highest scoring inning was the third, when it pushed five runs across.
» Alabama State grabbed a 4-1 lead in the top half of the first and didn't surrender that lead for the remainder of the game.
» Five Hornets had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» The Hornets had a total of 16 hits.
» The Hornets out-hit the Ospreys at a 16-9 clip.
» Alabama State went 9-for-19 (.474) with runners in scoring position.
» The Hornets got four hits in seven at-bats with the bases loaded.
» Alabama State pitchers faced 31 North Florida hitters in the game, allowing six ground balls and eight fly balls while striking out five.
» The Hornets drew 11 walks from North Florida pitching.
» Espaillat led the Hornets at the plate, going 3-for-5 with a triple and five RBI.
» North Florida was led offensively by sophomore C. Witherington, who went 1-for-1 with a home run and an RBI.
» Sophomore Brennan Baker led the Ospreys pitching staff, throwing one scoreless inning.
GAME 1 | North Florida 3, Alabama State 1
JACKSONVILLE, FL --Sophomore Jafet Martinez had a quality outing on the bump on Saturday, but the Alabama State Hornets fell 3-1 to the North Florida Ospreys.
The solid outing from Martinez was not enough for Alabama State (5-11). The right-hander went seven innings, giving up one run on two hits, allowing three walks and striking out five.
Offensively, the Hornets were paced by senior Mikel Pryor, who went 2-for-4 on the day with an RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Trailing 1-0, the Hornets first put runs on the board in the fifth inning. Alabama State got an RBI single from Pryor, scoring junior Kameron Douglas from third base. North Florida then scored two times over the remaining four innings to break the tie and grab the 3-1 win.
GAME NOTES
» Alabama State's highest scoring inning was the fifth, when it pushed one run across.
» Martinez put together seven innings of one-run ball for Alabama State.
» The Hornets out-hit the Ospreys at a 5-4 clip.
» Alabama State pitchers limited North Florida to just 1-for-8 (.125) with runners in scoring position.
» Alabama State pitchers faced 34 North Florida hitters in the game, allowing nine ground balls and nine fly balls while striking out five.
» Pryor led the Hornets at the plate, going 2-for-4 with an RBI.
» North Florida was led offensively by sophomore Mitchell Collins, who went 1-for-2 with a home run and an RBI.
» Junior Kai Etwaru led the Ospreys pitching staff, throwing 3.1 shutout innings.
UP NEXT: Alabama State plays Mercer University on Tuesday at 5 p.m. (CT) in Macon, Ga.
