HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Alabama A&M (16-24, 10-14 SWAC) made it a memorable Senior Weekend as they achieved something not seen in 17 years as they battled their way to a four-game sweep of Mississippi Valley State (11-26, 9-15 SWAC), earning 7-1 and 5-4 decisions in an NCAA Division I softball doubleheader on Saturday, April 30.
 
The four-game sweep is the first for the program since breaking out the brooms against Texas Southern from February 24-25 in 2006 when the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) played the league season in four-game sets.
 
It is the sixth overall since the 2004 campaign with the Bulldogs notching four during the 2005 season. This weekend marked the program's first four-game series since a set with Southeastern Louisiana from February 19-20 in 2016.
 
GAME 1: Alabama A&M 7, Mississippi Valley State 1
Having dropped the first two games, including the latter in a five-run affair, MVSU wasted no time in getting on the board in the first inning. It would take just one batter as Jaylon Davis belted a leadoff homerun for a 1-0 lead but it would be their only run and one of just four hits on the day.
 
The Bulldogs would find their offense in the home half of the third as sophomore second baseman Lauryn Gross (Huntsville, Ala.) dropped down a one out bunt single and freshman outfielder Allyson Riches (San Diego, Calif.) then laced a double to right center to bring both runners home for a 2-1 lead.
 
Sophomore first baseman Esperanza Coe (Beaumont, Calif.) then continued her hot hitting as she destroyed a ball for a two-run homerun deep over the centerfield fence to stretch it to 4-1. After allowing just a double to Shelby Carson in the top of the fourth, A&M would be right back at it in their half of the inning.
 
Sophomore shortstop Serena Herbranson (Hemet, Calif.) got things started with a single up the middle and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Gross then bunted her over to third and beat it out for an infield single before Roman struck again, this time with a single up the middle to make it 5-1. Riches then followed with a  sac fly to plate freshman outfielder Da'Nijah Wade (Columbia, Tenn.) and Coe did the same to bring home Roman and make it 7-1.
 
Those two innings would account for the bulk of the offense as the clubs then combined for just two hits, one apiece, the rest of the way as the Bulldogs closed out the six-run victory with three fly outs in the seventh.
 
Davis would lead MVSU with a run and RBI on her solo shot while Carson went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles. A'tauja Wren threw all six innings, allowing six earned runs and nine hits to take the loss and drop to 3-9.
 
Coe cranked her second homerun of the weekend, going 2-for-3 with three RBIs and a run scored while Riches was 1-for-3 with a double and three RBIs to pace the Bulldogs. Roman added the other RBI along with a run and Gross went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs. Coe delivered one of her best games in the circle all season, hurling all seven innings and allowing just one earned run and four hits to get the win and go to 6-8.
 
GAME 2: Alabama A&M 5, Mississippi Valley State 4
Valley would again waste no time getting on the scoreboard as Davis singled and Alston reached on a fielder's choice to put runners on first and second. It wouldn't matter what bases they were on though as Demi Slater then blasted a one-out three-run homerun for a 3-0 advantage through one frame.
 
Following a 1-2-3 inning in the home half, the Devilettes tacked on another run with a Davis single through the left side to make it a four-run margin. It would stay that way as the teams combined for just three hits over the next three innings before A&M broke out the bats in the bottom of the fifth.
 
Herbranson poked a one-out single up the middle and moved up on a grounder and then to third on a single by Wade. The latter promptly stole second to put both runners in scoring position and Gross laced a single down the left field line to score both to cut it to 4-2.
 
A walk by Roman then put two on and it was Riches turn as she dropped a ball into left center to plate Gross. That would be just a precursor, however, as Coe ripped a double to the right centerfield gap to score both Riches and Roman and come all the way back to take a 5-4 lead. A liner would end that inning but it would be all they would need.
 
MVSU notched a one-out single only to see that runner get doubled off on a line drive to first base to end any sort of threat. MyKaila Fleming gave the Devilettes a chance in the seventh, however, as she reached on a two-base error to lead off the frame and moved to third on a grounder with one out.
 
With the opportunity to tie the game without benefit of a hit they promptly struck out and could only watch as the next batter grounded out to second to end the rally and seal the four-game sweep for the Bulldogs.
 
Slater led Mississippi Valley State with three RBIs on her homerun and Davis went 2-for-4 with a run and RBI. In the circle, Daisy Page threw all six innings, giving up all five earned runs and one walk to fall to 8-9 on the year.
 
Gross notched two RBIs and a run and Coe was 1-for-3 with a double and two RBIs to lead A&M and Riches had a run and RBI. Senior pitcher Alyssa Lopez (San Leandro, Calif.) threw the 18^th complete game of her career, allowing three earned runs and striking out five to improve to 6-7 on the year.
 
Despite doing their part with the four-game sweep, Alabama A&M closes the season at 16-24 and 10-14 as a result of a pair of pair of losses by Florida A&M that set the field for the 2022 SWAC Tournament.
 
SOFTBALL SENIOR DAY GALLERY