HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Alabama A&M (7-10, 4-3 SWAC) cranked out 14 hits and benefited from five errors as they drummed Alcorn State (3-13, 1-4 SWAC) by an 11-3 score in six innings in an NCAA Division I softball game on Friday, April 2.
 
The Bulldogs would get things going right away as they put together three hits, including an RBI double by junior first baseman Rachael McKinney (Birmingham, Ala.), to stake an early 3-0 lead after one half inning of play. The Braves would respond by manufacturing a run with a walk, sacrifice bunt and a single to cut it to a two-run margin before both team's offenses would go quiet in the second.
 
It wouldn't stay that way as freshman pitcher Esperanza Coe (Beaumont, Calif.) hammered a pitch to deep left center for a leadoff homerun in the top of the third and ASU matched it with a run on an error to make it 4-2 through three. They would tack on another run in the fourth on another error to get within one.
 
That would be as close as they would get, however, as A&M opened the floodgates in the sixth, pounding out six singles and taking advantage of three errors for a massive seven run frame. That took it from a one run game to an 11-3 spread, one that would be locked in in the bottom of the inning with a quiet 1-2-3 effort.
 
Coe continued to rake at the plate as she went 2-for-4 with a homerun, two RBIs and three runs scored to pace the Bulldogs and was just as masterful in the circle, throwing all six innings and allowing just one earned run while striking out six. She improves to 6-3 on the season.
 
Senior second baseman Dorian Edwards (Cobb County, Ga.) went 2-for-4 with a run and pair of RBIs. Senior catcher Haleigh Winter (Huntsville, Ala.) added two RBIs and sophomore third baseman Taylor Woods (Decatur, Ala.) went 3-of-4 with an RBI and two runs to round out the top performers.
 
Marsha Hunt went 2-for-3 with the lone RBI and a run scored to lead Alcorn while Chloey Morgan had the only other hit. Brittney Triplett and Desirea Lindsey each added a run scored and Ambria Dorsey allowed all 11 runs, but just one earned, in six innings of work. She falls to 3-3 on the year.
 
The Bulldogs are back in action tomorrow, Saturday, April 3 for the final two games of the series against the Braves. That doubleheader is slated for a 1 p.m. first pitch.