JACKSON, Miss. – Alabama A&M (12-24, 6-14 SWAC) pounded out their most runs in a game in three weeks and nearly authored a late comeback as they split a doubleheader at Jackson State (21-22, 9-11 SWAC), winning the opener 9-4 and falling 6-5 in the nightcap, in an NCAA Division I softball doubleheader on Saturday, April 23.
 
GAME 1: Alabama A&M 9, Jackson State 4
The Bulldogs would waste no time asserting themselves in a game they needed to have to keep alive their Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Tournament hopes.
 
They would quickly put JSU in the soup as it were with a walk, error and single by sophomore second baseman Lauryn Gross (Huntsville, Ala.) and freshman outfielders Tatianna Roman (Cypress, Calif.) and Allyson Riches (San Diego, Calif.), respectively.
 
Sophomore pitcher Esperanza Coe (Beaumont, Calif.) would then help herself with an RBI groundout to take a 1-0 lead before senior first baseman Rachael McKinney (Birmingham, Ala.) reached on an error that plated both Riches and Roman to make it a three-run margin. The Tigers would then prevent any further damage with a fly out and groundout.
 
They could not match that production in the first, second and third innings combined, however, as they managed just one hit in that time. Meanwhile, A&M worked some two-out magic in the top of the fourth with a single by freshman outfielder Da'Nijah Wade (Columbia, Tenn.) and Gross reaching on an error on a sacrifice bunt that resulted in Wade racing home.
 
Alabama A&M would build on that lead as they took advantage of another error, this time with Roman reaching and Gross scampering home. They wouldn't need an error for their third run of the frame, instead bringing home Roman on a double to right by Riches to make it 6-0.
 
JSU would finally get on the board in the home half of the fourth as Isabel Gusman took the second pitch she saw to lead off the inning and drove it over the left field fence to cut it to 6-1. Those would be the only fireworks in the inning though as a popup and back-to-back grounders would be all they would manage afterward.
 
Both teams would work on building a picket fence in the fifth with the Bulldogs matching Gusman as junior shortstop Venice Sanders (Birmingham, Ala.) belted her team-high fifth homer of the season, this one also over the left field fence. The Tigers would plate their run with a one-out triple from Samiyyah Huckabee setting the stage for Mari Stephens to bring her home with a single and make it 7-2.
 
A&M would not be satisfied with a five-run lead, however, as they used a pair of singles and two errors to plate two more and stretch to a 9-2 advantage. Unable to manage anything in the home half of the frame, JSU would score two in the seventh on two-out singles by Stephens and Zoey Keyes but it would be too little, too late as the Bulldogs wrapped up the 9-4 victory with a fly out to center.
 
Stephens would go 2-for-3 with a team-high two RBIs, a walk and a run scored while Gusman had a homerun and corresponding run scored. Keyes had the only other RBI and Huckabee had a triple and run as part of a 2-for-3 day to account for the offense. Macie Kuppenbender threw a complete game and allowed all nine runs, but just three earned, and surrendered six hits and one walk to take the loss and fall to 7-8.
 
Riches anchored the Bulldogs offensive approach, going 2-for-4 with two runs, a double and a pair of RBIs and Sanders ripped a homerun for an RBI and run scored. Coe and McKinney each added an RBI and Gross walked and scored three times to round out the offense. Coe, meanwhile, threw a complete game of her own, giving up four runs, scattering seven hits and allowing just two walks to improve to 5-8.
 
GAME 2: Jackson State 6, Alabama A&M 5
Both teams would get the offense going in the first inning as Gross reached on a leadoff bunt, moved to second on a passed ball and third on a groundout. No. 13 would then strike again as Riches laced a ball through the right side to bring her home for a 1-0 lead before a double play ended the inning.
 
In the bottom of the frame though Jackson State would make it happen after two outs to start the inning. Lauren Stewart, Gusman and Isis Taylor singled to load the bases. A fielding error then brought home the tying run before Rachel Barker walked to give the Tigers the lead.
 
An infield single by Monica Serrano made it 3-1 and then Huckabee would clear the bases on a weird play. On a single to first she drove home Serrano, Barker and Alexis Arredondo and was then thrown out at second from centerfield, to third to the catcher to end the inning.
 
From there a calm would settle over both teams as they combined for six hits over the next four innings with one runner per team reaching third base. In the top of the sixth Roman would jump start things with a bang as she doubled to left center and moved to third on a grounder.
 
A liner and a walk later and the Bulldogs would have runners on first and third with two outs. Roman and pinch runner sophomore Iyanna Canada (Oakman, Ala.) would pull off a double steal with Roman crossing home plate to cut it to 6-2.
 
A batter later it would be Canada scoring as junior catcher Brooklyn Wallace (Hartselle, Ala.) singled to center to make it a three-run deficit before JSU escaped further damage with a strikeout two batters later. A hitless home half of the sixth would keep A&M in striking distance however.
 
They would lead off that frame with Wade reaching on an error in the infield with Gross dropping a bunt single to third to make it first and second with no one out. A grounder to second by Roman then drove home Wade and moved Gross to third.
 
She wouldn't be there long as Riches continued her tremendous day, lofting a sac fly to left to cut it to 6-5. They would get no closer though as the Tigers made the play on a ground ball to third to escape with the one run victory.
 
Jackson State was led by Huckabee with a 2-for-3 outing that included an RBI and Serrano had an RBI and run scored. Barker had the only other RBI and Gusman went 2-for-3. In the circle Leah Hopson went the distance, striking out three, allowing four earned runs and seven hits to pull out the victory and move to 1-3.
 
Leading the way for Alabama A&M, once again, was Riches with a pair of RBIs while Wallace was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Roman had a double and scored a run on a steal of home and Gross went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs and a steal.
 
Freshman pitcher Paige Scott (Surrey, British Columbia, Canada) started and lasted just two thirds of an inning, giving up three earned runs to suffer the loss and fall to 2-8. Senior pitcher Alyssa Lopez (San Leandro, Calif.) handled the last 5.1 innings, keeping the Bulldogs in it with a one earned run, six hit, one walk effort.
 
The Bulldogs return home to close out the regular season next weekend as they host Mississippi Valley State from April 29-30. First pitch of the opener on Friday, April 29 is slated for 2 p.m. at Bulldog Field with the doubleheader portion – and Senior Day – set for 12 p.m. on Saturday, April 30.