MONTGOMERY, Ala. | Clea Clark and Fabian Santana delivered RBI singles to help Alabama State University baseball claim a 7-5 win over Southern University on Saturday.
Clark's two-out RBI single in the seventh gave the Hornets a 6-5 lead and Santana singled in an insurance run in the eighth to make the score 7-5.
Esiad Pena threw 4.2 innings, giving up four runs, two earned, on eight hits with eight strikeouts for Alabama State (9-11, 1-3). Camden Matthews (1-0) also made an impact on the mound for the Hornets, throwing 3.1 scoreless innings while allowing one hit, with two walks and one strikeout to pick up the win.
At the plate, the Hornets were led by Fabian Santana, who went 2-for-3 on the day with two walks and two RBIs. Breydon Divine compiled a standout performance at the plate as well, going 1-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Devin Chandler also helped out for Alabama State, putting together zero hits in one trip to the plate while adding three walks and an RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Hornets were trailing 2-0 in the third inning when they first put runs on the board. Alabama State got an RBI single from Santana, scoring Niguel Jenkins from second base.
The Hornets' deficit grew to 4-1 before their offense got back on the scoreboard, cutting into that deficit in the fourth inning. Alabama State pushed two runs across on a two-run double off the bat of Divine that brought home Chandler and Jackson Williams, which tightened the Jaguars' lead to 4-3.
Alabama State held the Jaguars off the scoreboard before rallying to tie it up at four in the fifth.
The Jaguars broke the tie and took the lead heading into the seventh inning, when Alabama State got back on the scoreboard. The Hornets scored twice, with one run coming across on Cale Clark's 2-out single, bringing the score to 6-5 in favor of Alabama State.
The Hornets kept Southern off the board before building on their lead to 7-5 the following inning. Alabama State scored once on an RBI single off the bat of Santana. The score remained 7-5 for the rest of the game, as the Hornets held on for the win.
GAME NOTES
» Pena struck out eight Jaguars hitters.
» Every Alabama State starter reached base safely in the win.
» Alabama State's highest scoring inning was the seventh, when it pushed two runs across.
» Alabama State went 4-for-13 (.308) with runners in scoring position.
» Alabama State pitchers limited Southern to just 3-for-15 (.200) with runners in scoring position.
» Alabama State pitchers faced 42 Southern hitters in the game, allowing nine ground balls and eight fly balls while striking out 10.
» The Hornets drew 11 walks from Southern pitching.
» Santana led the Hornets at the plate, going 2 for 3 with two RBI.
» Southern was led offensively by KJ White, who went 2 for 5 with an RBI.
Alabama State and Southern University play the rubber-game of the series on Sunday at 1 p.m.
