Offensive Firepower
Alabama State wasted no time getting on the board. Left fielder
Kelvin Agosto set the tone with a solo homer in the top of the 1st, and the Hornets added another run in the second on a
DJ Smiley RBI double. The bats exploded in the third with back-to-back home runs from
Kameron Douglas (two-run shot) and
Wilbert Espinal, building an early 5-1 cushion.
Prairie View (17-34, 13-12 SWAC) answered with resilience. After trading runs in the 2nd and 3rd, they erupted for three runs in the 4th, highlighted by a 3-run bomb from
Michael Smith to tie the game at 5-5.
The game stayed tight through the middle innings before Alabama State took control again in the 7th.
Juan Cruz launched a solo shot, followed by key RBI from
Alex Espaillat and DJ
Smiley to regain the lead, 8-6.
Pitching Battle
Starter
Will Bartkoski gave Alabama State 5.1 innings, allowing 6 earned runs on 6 hits. Reliever
Trey Power (4-3) came in with poise, pitching the final 3.2 innings and limiting the Panthers to 2 late runs while striking out two.
Prairie View starter
I. Herrera (6.2 IP, 8 ER, 9 H) struggled with Alabama State's power bats. Reliever
D. Thompson (1-6) took the loss, giving up a key insurance run in the 9th.
Ninth-Inning Drama
In the top of the ninth,
Douglas hit his second homer of the day to extend the Hornets' lead to 10-7. The Panthers made it interesting in the bottom half when
Jayden Williams launched a 2-run homer to pull within one, but
Power shut the door with a fly out to center, preserving the win.
Key Performers
Looking Ahead
Alabama State and Prairie View play game two fo the series on Thursday at 3 p.m.
