Bulldogs Swept by Hornets in Baseball

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3

Normal- Alabama A&M baseball fell in three games, 8-3, 16-6 and 18-8 in their final Eastern Divisional series with in-state rival Alabama State this past weekend.

In game one Sanchez Tucker came into relieve starter Allen Belue after just one out was recorded.

The Hornets, scored two runs in the first, and another three in the second to take a 5-0 lead. Both teams were scoreless in the third inning to keep the score at 5-0, ASU would score once more in the fourth and then twice in the seventh to extend their lead to 8-0.

The Bulldogs hit the scoreboard with three runs in the bottom of the eighth, to cut the lead to five runs at 8-3. This was as close as A&M would get as the match ended with a scoreless ninth inning.

ASU took game one 8-3; Austin Hulsey lead the Maroon & White at the plate collecting two hits & two RBI’s on four at bats.

In game two the Bulldogs did not fare well as they lost 16-6 in eight innings. ASU got on the board immediately and crossed the plate frequently to start the game. The Hornets tallied 10 runs in the first three innings to take a 10-0 lead.

A&M answered the ASU output with two runs of their own in the bottom of the third inning. With the score at 10-3, the teams combined for a scoreless fourth.

The fifth inning again saw a large scoring output, ASU added four runs, and A&M answered with three brining the score to 14-5. Things cooled off in the sixth inning, as only the Hornets added a run to the score now at 15-5.

With the ten-run rule now in effect at the start of the seventh inning, the Maroon & White kept the Hornets at bay, not allowing them to add to their run total. In the bottom of the inning, A&M would need to score at least one run to stay alive and extend the game.

A&M did just that, with a little help from the Hornets. Patrick Dodson reached base on a single to start the inning for the Bulldogs. Dodson was then able to score after advancing around the bases on three consecutive wild pitches by Hornets pitcher Julio Valdez.

Valdez then walked Hulsey; it looked like things my fall apart further for him and the Hornets. Valdez kept it together and got out of the inning only allowing one run, by striking out Julio Nunez and the getting both Bradley Black and Jordan Friend to fly out to center, and left field. ASU remained on top 15-6 as the seventh inning ended.

The Hornets again put the pressure on the Bulldogs to score as they scored a single run in the eighth inning to put the 10-run rule back in effect. The Maroon & White could not extend the game further as they went three up & three down to end the eighth inning and the game at 16-6.

Hulsey again led the Bulldogs, collecting one run, two hits, and one RBI on two at bats. Hulsey was walked and hit by a pitch as well during game two.

Game three ended the same way as the two previous contests, with the Hornets topping the Bulldogs. ASU took the victory at 18-8 collecting 17 hits in nine innings.

ASU hit the board early again, scoring five runs in the first and one in the sixth to take a 6-0 lead. Hulsey answered with two RBI’s on a single in the third inning to cut the lead to 6-4.

ASU would add single runs in the fourth and fifth, another five runs in the sixth, and a single run in the seventh to extend their lead to 14-2.

In the seventh inning, again with the 10-run rule in effect the Bulldogs answered with runs to extend the game. Friend tallied two RBI’s on a double, followed by a Dodson RBI single to end the seventh at 14-5

ASU could not find the board in the eighth; A&M tallied another two runs in the bottom of the inning to cut the lead to 14-7. ASU found their rhythm again adding four runs in their final plate appearance in the ninth inning. Dylan Johnson would add the final run for the Bulldogs in the 18-8 loss.

The Maroon & White fell to 3-30 on the season and 1-13 in conference play after this weekend’s play.

A&M returns to action Tuesday, April 16^th at Troy University.

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