MONTGOMERY, Ala. – For the final time this season, the Wildcats will head out on the road with an important series on deck against the Alabama State Hornets at the Barbara Williams Softball Complex. The first pitch of the series is scheduled for Friday at 6 p.m. EST followed by a double header on Saturday.
Friday & Saturday, April 17-18
Opponent: Alabama State (17-27, 10-7)
Time: 6 p.m. | 2/4 p.m. (DH)
Location: Montgomery, Ala. | Barbara Williams Softball Complex
Watch: https://tv.swac.org/
Live Stats: https://www.statbroadcast.com/events/schedule.php?live=0&gid=alst
Tickets: https://alasu.flicket.io/
JSU began the game with a first-inning threat, putting runners at second and third. But Jessica Alaan came up with another stellar defensive play to end the scoreless inning.
B-CU hit back-to-back singles in the bottom of the first with one out but were also unable to push the runs across.
In the second, the Tigers hit a single and walked with two outs, but the Wildcats got the third out on runner's interference by JSU.
Jackson State moved a runner to third base in the third inning, but Mia Gonzalez forced a ground ball out to keep it tied at zero.
The Wildcats then broke the game open in the bottom half. After a leadoff single, B-CU scored its first run on a Jackson State throwing error to go ahead 1-0. Janell Morrisey and Kween Tauala then collected RBI base hits to extend the lead to three.
Jasmine Manebo came up with the biggest hit of the inning with the bases loaded, smacking a bases-clearing double to left-center field to put B-CU up 6-0.
The Tigers had a chance to get some runs back in the fourth, but a crucial base-running mistake cost them a run before Gonzalez forced the final two outs to keep JSU scoreless.
Jackson State finally put a run on the board in the fifth, generating a bases-loaded walk to make it 6-1. Despite walking in the run, Aimi Tohara-Yshiki got the final two outs to end the frame, including another base-running mistake by the Tigers for out number three.
Manebo came up big once again in the bottom half. After a leadoff single from Mia'Lani Mayo, Manebo crushed her first home run of the season to make it 8-1 Wildcats.
JSU threatened during the final two innings but were unable to score, as B-CU picked up the win to sweep the twinbill.
The Hornets are currently just 0.5 games behind the Wildcats in the SWAC standings despite being swept at Sunnyland earlier this season. They are currently on a three-game winning streak which includes a series victory over Florida A&M.
Alabama State is a solid offensive team, ranking top five in the league in runs, hits, doubles, and walks. Talee Sims continues to lead the offense, pacing the team in batting average (.388), hits (45), and RBI (35). Alana Scott leads the squad with five home runs and nine doubles while sitting second in RBI.
The pitching staff has accumulated a 5.75 ERA over 281.0 innings of work. They have struggled with walks this season ranking just behind Alabama A&M for most in the SWAC. Junior Kohana Pousson leads the team in innings. She is 8-6 with 3.90 ERA with a league-leading 81 strikeouts.
The Wildcats are now 18-12 all-time against the Hornets following the sweep earlier this year.
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