#SWACSB19 Tournament Recaps: Day One
CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL
Alabama State 10, Southern 1 (F/5)
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – A quick start propelled Alabama State to a 10-1 victory over Southern Wednesday morning in the opening game of the 2019 Southwestern Athletic Conference Softball Tournament at the Barbara Williams Softball Complex.
The Hornets (21-22) started quickly, batting around in the first inning. After a lead-off double by Casey Durham, Kaylee Davis moved her over with a bunt single and Alexis Sydnor put Alabama State on the board with a RBI single. Kristin Gunter followed with a two-run double, and the Hornets added a pair of runs for a 5-0 lead after one.
Southern (9-24) got one back with a RBI single by Adriana Rincon in the third, but the Hornets threatened in the bottom of the fourth, loading the bases. The Hornets pushed one across via fielder’s choice, and Sydnor delivered a two-run double to push the lead to 8-1. Gunter followed with her second two-run double of the game for a 10-1 advantage, and Hornets starter Justine Jean cruised from that point.
Alabama State advances to face Texas Southern tomorrow at 1 p.m. (or 30 minutes after the conclusion of the 11 a.m. game), while Southern will look to stave off elimination against Jackson State at 9 a.m.
Key Stats
- Sydnor and Gunter both led Alabama State with 2-for-3 efforts at the plate and a combined seven RBIs.
- Jean improved to 10-12 on the season with a complete game, allowing three hits and one run while striking out five.
- Southern’s Aubrion James was assessed the loss, allowing seven runs (five earned) over 3.0 innings
- Rincon led Southern with a pair of hits.
- Southern committed four errors on the day.
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Prairie View A&M 3, Alcorn State 0
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Crystal Castillo hurled a two-hit shutout as defending champion Prairie View A&M downed Alcorn State 3-0 in the second game of the 2019 Southwestern Athletic Conference Softball Tournament at the Barbara Williams Softball Complex Wednesday afternoon.
The game evolved into a pitcher’s duel early on, as neither side could get much going against Castillo and Alcorn State starter Ambria Dorsey through the first half of the contest.
Prairie View A&M (29-15) had a chance in the first after Shelby Williams led off with a single and stole second, and Destinee Williams drew a walk. However, Dorsey regrouped to retire the side. In the top of the second, Brooke Roach hit a one-out double for the Lady Braves (13-23), but Castillo forced Sandrea Hord to ground out and followed with a strikeout of Malea Dickerson to end the inning.
Laurisa Hernandez led off the bottom of the fourth with a single for the Panthers, and after consecutive errors allowed Prairie View A&M to load the bases, Serena Antone dropped a single into shallow left field, bringing home the game’s first run. Dorsey struck out Gabrielle Fonseca to curb the damage from there.
S. Williams picked up another single in the bottom of the fifth, moving to second on a passed ball. After D. Williams moved her to third with a single, S. Williams scored on a fielder’s choice. Bianca Cruz tacked on another PVAMU run with a double to the left field warning track in the sixth and from there, Castillo kept the Alcorn State bats quiet the rest of the way.
PVAMU advances to the 3 p.m. game (or 30 minutes after the conclusion of the 1 p.m. game), to face Alabama A&M, while Alcorn State faces UAPB at 11 a.m. (or 30 minutes after the conclusion of the 9 a.m. game).
Key Stats
- Castillo allowed three hits and struck out seven in the victory, improving to 13-4 on the season.
- Dorsey was charged with the loss, allowing four hits over 5.0 innings.
- Alcorn State committed three errors in the game.
- Alcorn State stranded five runners on base, compared to eight left on base by Prairie View A&M.
- S. Williams was 2-for-4 with a stolen base.
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Texas Southern 1, Jackson State 0
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – In a pitcher’s duel, Naomi Reyes and top-seeded Texas Southern outlasted Jackson State 1-0 in game three of the 2019 Southwestern Athletic Conference Softball Tournament at Barbara Williams Softball Complex Wednesday afternoon.
Texas Southern (21-25) got on the board quickly as an A’Leecia Bell single brought Terren Vinson around to score in the bottom of the first. From that point, it was nothing doing offensively for either side thanks to the pitching of Texas Southern’s Naomi Reyes and Jackson State’s Kayla Owens.
Texas Southern looked poised to add to its lead in the bottom of the fourth after Tevanae Tate and Marissa Padron hit back-to-back singles with two outs, but Owens fooled Aubri Ford on a change-up to snuff out the potential rally.
Though Owens managed to keep Texas Southern from widening its lead, Jackson State (12-35) was largely unable to solve Reyes despite a scoring chance in the top of the sixth. There, Jackson State had two runners on with one out but failed to push one across.
With the win, Texas Southern faces Alabama State in a winner’s bracket game at 1 p.m. (or 30 minutes after the conclusion of the 11 a.m. game) tomorrow, while Jackson State looks to stay alive versus Southern at 9 a.m.
Key Stats
- Reyes scattered four hits and a pair of walks in the win, striking out nine.
- Owens was saddled with the loss, allowing six hits and fanning five.
- JSU’s Kaitlyn Elzie was 2-for-3.
- TSU’s Marissa Padron picked up a pair of hits.
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Alabama A&M 6, UAPB 0
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – A big third inning powered Alabama A&M to a 6-0 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff Wednesday evening in the final opening round game of the 2019 Southwestern Athletic Conference Softball Tournament at the Barbara Williams Softball Complex.
UAPB (4-33) looked poised for an early lead, loading the bases with two outs. Alabama A&M starter Lisabelle Hansell settled down to strike out Karia Hall and escape the jam.
The Bulldogs (23-17) mounted a threat of their own in the bottom half of the frame. After Tamia Lee-Barbadillo singled to move Alyssa Lopez – who was struck by a pitch and pushed to second via sacrifice – to third base, Madison Pozzi brought Lopez home with a RBI groundout.
After the sides traded 1-2-3 innings in the second, UAPB took advantage of a misplayed pop-up and a double to deep left center by Shanice Akins to get a pair of runners in scoring position with one out. Though Dominique Humphrey drew a walk to load the bases, UAPB came up empty.
Lopez led off the inning with a double and legged out a sharply hit single from Danielle Hansell to put Alabama A&M ahead 2-0. After L. Hansell helped her own cause with a two-run single, Alabama A&M added another to the scoreboard to take a 5-0 lead into the fourth.
Alabama A&M tacked on another run for insurance, as L. Hansell and the Bulldogs cruised from that point to a winner’s bracket matchup with Prairie View A&M tomorrow at 3 p.m. (or 30 minutes after the conclusion of the 1 p.m. game), UAPB faces Alcorn State in an elimination game tomorrow at 11 a.m. (or 30 minutes after the conclusion of the 9 a.m. game),
Key Stats
- AAMU’s Lee-Barbadillo was 3-for-4 with a run scored, while Lopez and D. Hansell each picked up a pair of hits.
- Along with two RBIs, L. Hansell got the win with a complete game, scattering seven hits and three walks while fanning six.
- UAPB’s Alexandria Taylor and Akins each picked up two hits.
- UAPB’s Dominguez was assessed the loss, allowing eight hits and five earned runs in 3.1 innings.
About the SWAC:
The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is considered one of the premier HBCU conferences in the country and currently ranks among the elite in the nation in terms of HBCU alumni playing with professional sports teams.
Current championship competition offered by the league includes competition for men in Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field and Tennis.
Women’s competition is offered in the sports of Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field, Soccer, Softball, Tennis and Volleyball.
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www.swac.org.