MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Alabama A&M (9-17, 4-7 SWAC) slugged their way to a series victory over rival Alabama State (15-19, 7-5 SWAC) with a commanding 11-1 decision in an NCAA Division I softball game on Saturday, April 2.
 
As they did in the series opener, the Bulldogs wasted no time in jumping out ahead as they scored five runs on three hits and benefited from a pair of errors in the opening frame.
 
That outburst began with an RBI single in the infield by freshman outfielder Allyson Riches (San Diego, Calif.) and two more runs coming home on an error. Junior third baseman Lisabelle Hansell (Hayward, Calif.) then laced a two-RBI single to make it 5-0 before ASU got out of the inning on a grounder.
 
The Hornets would get one back in the home half of the inning as Kindall Deramaus singled to left, stole second and came around to score on an error to cut it to four. It would not stay that way for long, however, as freshman outfielder Tatianna Roman (Cypress, Calif.) led off with a double and scored two outs later when junior shortstop Venice Sanders (Birmingham, Ala.) blasted a two-run shot over the right field fence to push the lead to 7-1.
 
Back-to-back singles, a sacrifice bunt and a third single then loaded the bases with one out in the third to keep the offense rolling. Three of them would then circle the bases on an error by the first baseman to push it to 10-1 before a strikeout and fly ball ended any further threat.
 
Sanders would then make it a 10-run lead as she belted her third homerun of the weekend, and second of the game, this one a solo shot in the fourth. In the meantime, the defense had delivered three straight hitless innings and then allowed just one and a hit by pitch in the bottom of the fifth to close out the 10-1 victory.
 
The Hornets were held to just three singles on the day with Deramus, Jaeda Gardner and Bailey Greenlee delivering those. In the circle, Ashley Pye went just two thirds of an inning, allowing five runs – just one earned – to fall to 2-4. Elle Lunsford pitched the remaining 4.1 innings, giving up three earned runs and striking out five.
 
Sanders went off again for A&M, going 2-for-3 – both homeruns – along with two runs and three RBIs while Hansell had two RBIs as part of a 1-for-2 effort and Riches had the only other RBI. Roman rounded out the offense with a 2-for-4 day and two RBIs and sophomore pitcher Esperanza Coe (Beaumont, Calif.) pitched all five innings, surrendering no earned runs and just three hits to move to 4-6.
 
The Bulldogs return home for a three-game series against Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) newcomer Bethune-Cookman from April 8-9. The teams will play a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m. on the first day with the finale at 12 p.m. on Saturday, April 9.