MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Alana Scott hit her third home run of the season Saturday afternoon as Alabama State defeated visiting Bethune-Cookman 4-3 in the rubber game of a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) series at Barbara Williams Field. In the loss, Bethune-Cookman drops its second consecutive road series, and the third league series of the season.
 
Alabama State (23-26, 13-8 SWAC) scored the game's opening run when designated player Brooke Ramsey singled through the right side past a diving Jessica Alaan at second, pushing in Kendall Smiley from second. Smiley, the Hornets centerfielder, singled from her leadoff spot in the lineup.
 
Bethune-Cookman (15-26, 13-8 SWAC) battled back for three runs in the top of the third inning.
 
Briana Velazquez plated two runs as the Wildcats shortstop scored Joslynn Davis and Essence Gibbs with a single to short. An RBI groundout from Ciera Clark made it 3-1 in favor of the visitors when Alaan came in for the run.
 
The home-half of the fourth would see ASU trim the lead 3-2, when first baseman Leah Richardson's sac fly to left was deep enough to cross Scott.
 
With BCU clinging to the one-run advantage heading into the bottom of the sixth, it would be a Scott two-run homer down the left field line that proved to be the difference. Also scoring on the play for the Hornets was Kindal DeRamus, as she reached to lead off the at-bat in the frame with an error charged to the BCU infield.
 
BCU trailed 4-3 in the top of the seventh when Davis reached on the only error of the game by the Hornets, followed by an Alaan single past second baseman Jaeda Gardner. Davis, representing the tying run for the Cats, advanced to third before Hornets relief pitcher Charity Bibbs got Velazquez to line out to center and end the comeback attempt.
 
The win went to Bibbs (12-12) out of the bullpen, as she worked the last six innings, allowing three runs on four hits, three walks and four strikeouts. The loss went to BCU starter Halyne Gonzalez (10-13), as she went the distance in the circle for the Cats, being touched for four runs (three earned) on four hits, two walks and six strikeouts.
 
ASU used Scott with a 2-for-3 effort offensively, including her two-run homer.
 
BCU was paced at the plate by Alaan's 1-for-2 effort, adding a 1-for-4 showing from Velazquez with her two RBIs.
 
The Wildcats next travel to UCF on Wednesday, April 24, for a doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m.
 
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