Daytona Beach, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman baseball faces a crucial three game series this weekend with SWAC-leading Alabama State. Game one gets underway Friday, April 28 at 7 p.m ET in Montgomery, Ala.
 
Game Information

Friday-Sunday, April 29 – May 1
Opponent: Alabama State (22-16, 13-3 SWAC)
Time: 7 p.m. | 7 p.m. | 2 p.m. EST
Location: Montgomery, Ala.
Live Stats: https://bamastatesports.com/sidearmstats/baseball/summary
Watch: https://web.playsight.com/facility/alabama-state-baseball/home
 
Last Time Out
 
Missed opportunities hurt the Wildcats Tuesday night in a non-conference meeting with FIU. B-CU fell, 7-1, after stranding nine runners in the first four innings.
 
The Wildcats took the first two of three from the Hornets in the second SWAC series of the season, including a 5-4, 11-inning, walkoff via hit-by-pitch in game one, and an 8-5 win in game two after a five-RBI performance from Brian Perez.
 
The Wildcats dropped the series finale, and the Hornets have rolled ever since, dropping only a single SWAC game in the meantime – a 5-0 loss to Jackson State last weekend. The 
 
Scouting the Hornets
 
Alabama State is 22-16 this season The Hornets edge the Wildcats in the SWAC standings with a 13-3 record to B-CU's 12-6. Most recently, the Hornets defeated Jackson State, 21-3 last Sunday.
 
The Hornets are batting .285 as a team with 25 homers and 244 RBI.  Infielder Corey King leads his team in RBI with 39 on nine homers and a 1.023 OPS. Catcher Hunter May follows closely behind with 33 RBI on a 1.037 OPS.
 
Alabama State's pitching staff leads the SWAC with a 4.85 ERA. In 326.2 innings, they have strick out 314, and walked 179. Opponents are hitting .248 against the Hornets. Alabama State has 44 errors as a team.
 
The Starters
 
Louis Lipthratt will once again lead the Wildcats into the weekend on the mound. He will be followed by Nolan Santos and Hector Vazquez, who combined for 14 innings pitched, one earned run, 10 hits, one walk, and 19 strikeouts between their respective starts.
 
Notes
 

• B-CU leads the SWAC in strikeouts with 364.
• The Wildcats pitching staff has 18 double-digit strikeout games this season.
• Nolan Santos is tied for 42^nd in the NCAA in strikeouts with 71.
• Franki Febles is tied for 48^th in all of NCAA baseball in bases reached via hit-by-pitch with 13.

 
All-Time Series
 
This weekend is only the second ever series between the Wildcats and Hornets. B-CU will look to build on its 2-1 advantage from earlier this season.
 

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