April 21, 2008

Huntsville, Ala. - Alabama State took two of three games in a vital late-season series versus archrival Alabama A & M.

On Saturday, the two teams split a doubleheader. A & M won the first game 8-7, and ASU rebounded with a 4-1 win in the second game.

In the deciding game on Sunday, the Hornets won an epic battle 8-7 in 10 innings.

The Hornets are now a lock for the SWAC championship tournament. With four conference games remaining, ASU has a shot of catching Mississippi Valley State and Alcorn State in what is suddenly a tight eastern division race.

ASU is back in action on Tuesday when they host Florida A & M at 2 p.m in Paterson Field. Admission is free.

Game 1 Alabama A & M 8, ASU 7

The Bulldogs jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first two innings.

ASU got on the scoreboard in the top of the third inning, as Chris Davis and Darrion Pedro scored on T.J. Griggs's sinlge.

After A & M got one more run, the Hornets' pitcher shut them out the rest of the way.

ASU scored again in the sixth when James Jordan drove in Zeb Hilburn.

The Hornets mounted a huge rally in the seventh as Furquan Shamsud-Din drilled a three-run homer. Ronald James added another homer, but ASU couldn't get any closer and fell short 8-7.

Game 2 ASU 4, A & M 1

In one of the Hornets' best pitching performances of the season, ASU shut out the Bulldogs for the first six innings and only allowed one run and two hits for the game.

In the fourth inning, T.J. Griggs singled and later scored on a wild pitch. James Jordan's single drove in Zeb Hilburn.

In the fifth, Hilburn doubled home Chris Davis and Griggs.

Norris Kyles (3-0) earned the win for ASU.

Game 3 ASU 8, A & M 7 (10 innings)

After seizing a 6-0 lead, ASU saw A & M fighting back to send the game into extra innings before the Hornets pulled out the win.

In the third inning, Breon Landers got the scoring going when his double scored James Jordan. Landers scored on Darrion Pedro's single. Pedro later scored on Chris Davis's single.

Furquan Shamsud-Din homered in the fourth inning. ASU tacked on another run in the fifth when Landers singled in Jordan.

Eddie Cole tripled in Zeb Hilburn and Shamsud-Din in the sixth inning.

The Bulldogs began their rally when they scored two in the seventh inning and three in the ninth to tie the game.

That's when ASU senior Shamsud-Din came through with a clutch double to give the Hornets the win. Devin Dominguez (2-1) finished the game for ASU.