From the Southwestern Athletic Conference:
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala.- After four hours and 53 minutes, Christian Lopez fielded a ground ball at third, stepped on the bag, and threw across the diamond to complete a double play and send Alabama State into a celebration with a 6-5 14-inning championship victory over Southern in the SWAC Baseball Tournament Championship game at Regions Field on Sunday.
Alabama State and Southern swapped the lead throughout the game including in the 13th inning when both teams scored to force the game into the 14th where the Hornets made one more play than Southern. The win clinched the first postseason berth for Alabama State since the 2016 season and the first under head coach Jose Vazquez.
Corey King finished the game 3-for-7 with a run scored and an RBI, while Kyler McIntosh finished 2-for-6 with a pair of runs scored and a pair of RBI. Meanwhile, Jabronski Williams and Ian Matos each finished 2-for-6
Osvaldo Mendez, the last of four pitchers used in the game, picked up the win working the final 2.0 innings and allowing just three walks. He replaced SWAC Baseball Tournament MVP Breon Pooler who came in for 5.2 innings of relief.
Tremaine Spears, Nathaniel Lai, and Hunter Tabb each drove in RBI for the Jaguars. O’Neill Burgos, and Joseph Battaglia joined Spears and Tabb representing Southern on the All-Tournament Team.
Joining Pooler on the All-Tournament Team from Alabama State were Austin King, Corey King, and Hunter May.
How it Happened
- T1 | May launched a two-run bomb to left center field to score King who led off for a single for the early lead (2-0, Alabama State).
- B1 | Jaylen Armstrong reached on a lead-off single, moved to third on a fielding error and scored on a wild pitch (2-1, Alabama State).
- B2 | Nathanial Lai led off the inning with a solo shot to center to tie the game on a 1-2 pitch (2-2).
- T3 | McIntosh hit an 0-1 pitch to left for a solo shot (3-2, Alabama State).
- B4 | Tremaine Spears hit a solo shot to left to lead off the inning for Southern (3-3).
- T7 | McIntosh singled to right center to score Matos from third after a lead-off double (4-3, Alabama State).
- B7 | Hunter Tabb singled up the middle to tie things up (4-4).
- T13 | Trenton Jamison reached on an infield error allowing McIntosh to score from third for the lead (5-4, Alabama State).
- B13 | Nava Sanchez grounded into a double play, allowing a run to score (5-5).
- T14 | King doubled home Matos for the winning run (6-5, Alabama State).
Up Next
The Hornets will find out their NCAA regional destination on Monday afternoon. The Selection Show airs at 11:00 am (CT) on ESPN2.
SWAC Baseball All-Tournament Team
Ty Hanchey, Florida A&M
Jared Weber, Florida A&M
LJ Bryant, Florida A&M
Boris Pena, Bethune-Cookman
Joseph Battaglia, Southern
Hunter Tabb, Southern
O’Neill Burgos, Southern
Tremaine Spears, Southern
Austin King, Alabama State
Corey King, Alabama State
Hunter May, Alabama State
Breon Pooler, Alabama State
Most Valuable Player
Breon Pooler, Alabama State
