HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – In their first action on their home field in over a month, Alabama A&M (8-16, 5-9 SWAC) dropped a series opening doubleheader, 8-1 and 11-8, to rival Alabama State (13-25, 8-6 SWAC) in NCAA Division I softball action on Friday, April 23.
 
GAME 1: ALABAMA STATE 8, ALABAMA A&M 1
The Bulldogs got out of an early first inning jam with runners on second and third but could not capitalize on first and second themselves in the bottom of the second, leaving it scoreless until the top of the third.
 
It would be the Hornets who broke through in that frame as they constructed a run with a leadoff bunt single, sacrifice bunt and RBI single by Kindall DeRamus to make it 1-0. She would go on to steal second and later advance to third before A&M induced a groundout to prevent any further damage.
 
ASU would tack on another run in the fourth behind a single, walk and run scoring single from Jamaica Flowers before opening the floodgates in the sixth. That frame would see them pound out four hits and benefit from an error for four runs to make it 6-0. Among those hits would be back-to-back doubles by Morgan Gaither and Flowers and a long pinch hit homerun by Aishja Wilcher over the left field fence.
 
Kaley Anthony then added on to that with a homer to left to lead off the seventh and the Hornets picked up their eight run on an error for an 8-0 lead. A pair of singles and a fielders' choice to lead off the home half of the inning set the Bulldogs up with runners on second and third with one out and sophomore third baseman Taylor Woods (Decatur, Ala.) promptly lofted a sacrifice fly to put a crooked number on the board before ASU closed out the 8-1 victory with a double play.
 
Woods would have the lone RBI for Alabama A&M and freshman shortstop Serena Herbranson (Hemet, Calif.) went 2-for-2 at the plate. Freshman outfielder Brianna Winchester (Lavaca, Ark.) rounded out the offense at 2-for-3 and freshman pitcher Esperanza Coe (Beaumont, Calif.) suffered the complete game loss (7-6) with seven earned runs allowed and six strikeouts.
 
Flowers was 2-for-3, with a pair of RBIs, double, walk and run scored to pace the Hornets while Alex Massie was perfect 4-for-4 with a run. Wilcher added a homerun in her lone plate appearance and Anthony put one over the fence for her lone hit. DeRamus and Gaither had the only other RBIs and Skyler Sullivan threw six scoreless innings, scattering five hits and striking out five to improve to 12-8.
 
GAME 2: ALABAMA STATE 11, ALABAMA A&M 8
A scoreless first inning would belie what was to come as the Hornets erupted for eight runs on as many hits and an error in the top of the second to take control of Game 2 early on. That offensive explosion was fueled by a consistent approach that led to six singles and a pair of doubles.
 
Having taken one on the chin, the Bulldogs responded in the bottom of the inning with back-to-back doubles by Coe and freshman second baseman Shalin Charles (Fayettville, Ark.) to get on the board and cut it to 8-1.
 
ASU would add an important ninth run on a sac fly in the fourth that would put them in position to close out the game early with an eight-run lead as they headed to the home half of the fifth.
 
Woods would make sure that didn't happen in one fell swoop as she dropped down a bunt to lead off the inning, reached and went to second on an errant throw from the pitcher and then came around to score on a throw from second base that got away over at third. That unusual and continuous trip around the bases cut it to 9-2 and kept the Bulldogs alive.
 
That effort nearly paid off in full in the bottom of the sixth as junior first baseman Rachael McKinney (Birmingham, Ala.) blasted a two-run shot with two outs and junior pitcher Alyssa Lopez (San Leandro, Calif.) laced a two RBI single to center to cut it to 9-6. A&M would tack on a seventh run on an error before ASU finally got out of the inning.
 
Despite the late inning, that would not be the end of the scoring as the Hornets managed a pair of runs in the top of the seventh and McKinney doubled to right to get to within 11-8 but the Bulldogs would get no closer as ASU was able to finally close out the three-run victory.
 
McKinney led Alabama A&M with a 2-for-3 day that saw her crank out a double and homerun to end up with three RBIs while Lopez had a pair of RBIs with her single. Charles was in charge for two of her four at bats as she doubled and drove home a run and scored while Lopez pitched all seven innings and suffered the loss to fall to 1-8.
 
Gaither led the Hornets with three RBIs while Destinee Dixon was a perfect 3-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and a pair of runs scored and Massie and Jazmine Dodd were each 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs to round out the top offensive performers. Sullivan delivered wins in both ends of the doubleheader as she threw all seven innings, striking out six and allowing eight runs, six earned, to move to 13-8.
 
The Bulldogs wrap up the series tomorrow, weather permitting, with first pitch slated for 1 p.m. against the Hornets.