Alabama State had a 14 hit attack leading to an opening day 12-0 shutout over Prairie View A&M in the the Andre Dawson Classic. Three Hornet players produced multiple hits in the game led by Dilan Espinal who went 3 for 4 with a double, a run scored and three runs batted in. Chris Lewis went 2 for 4 at the plate, belted a homerun and added three runs batted in. Ian Matos went two for four with two runs batted in.
ASU starter Jacknell Guzman finished with a complete game effort in seven inning. He allowed just two hits and struck out three for the victory. The Hornets scored the game’s first runs in the third inning plating three runs. They would add five more in the fourth on four hits and completed the scoring with four more in the sixth to seal the win.
Alcorn State pounded out ten hits for a 11-5 opening day victory over Prairie View A&M. Several of the Braves players had multiple hits in the game including Travaris Cole who went two for four at the plate, scored two runs and belted a three run homerun. Jordan McGowan and Micah Walker both collected two hits and two RBI each while Brandon Rembert, Tyler Daniels and freshman Jaden Smith produced one RBI each. The Braves’ scoring was also aided by eight walks from PVAM pitching.
On the hill, senior Jose Fernandez (1-0) pitched a gem by striking out nine batters in 6.0 innings pitched while allowing only two runs on seven hits. Sophomore George Osborne II in his first career save, finished the game with 1.1 innings of one-hit ball. The bulk of Alcorn’s runs came in the fifth inning with four runs and five runs in the ninth inning.
Bethune-Cookman opened its 2020 season with an 8-0 victory over visiting Alabama A&M Friday in game one of the scheduled three-game weekend series. The Wildcats used a combination of pitchers to record double digit strikeouts. Starter Nick Rogers in 4.0 innings pitched recorded four strikeouts. In relief, Knickolas Billings 2.0 innings struck out five and Matthew Henson in 3.0 innings fanned three. All totaled, the Wildcats teamed up to strike out 12 batters for a three-hit shutout.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Cats scored five runs. Silas Grinstead singled to center field and advanced to second on a throwing error by Alabama A&M infielder Stephan Soto. Next batter Rafael Padilla was hit by pitch, Chase Debonis singled to left field advancing Padilla and Grinstead to load the bases. Ryan Ayrey doubled to left center scoring the game’s first runs. Bethune would add three more runs in the inning for 5-0 lead. The runs were unearned. At the plate, Ayrey drove in four runs going two for three with a two run double in the fifth inning.
Henson worked out of a bases-loaded seventh inning for BCU to record the save.
The Southern Jaguars used a six-run seventh inning on opening day at the Andre Dawson Classic Friday night to beat the host school the University of New Orleans 9-3 in front of a crowd of 339. William Nelson’s run scoring double was the deciding blow, scoring Zavier Moore who reached base on a bunt single. Hampton Hudson, Brandon Morris, Garrett Felix, Jovante Dorris and Bubba Thompson added RBI singles in the six innings.
Junior right-hander Anthony Fidanza in 3.0 innings allowed one hit, one run striking out two batters. In relief, Jacob Snyder (1-0) notched the win. In 4.0 innings, Snyder issued three hits, two runs, fanning five while junior Dimitri Frank pitched two innings yielding two hits no runs to close the game. Overall, the Jags three pitchers on the night combined to limited New Orleans to just six hits, three runs while striking out seven over nine innings.
North Carolina A&T split its season opener, losing to Butler in its first game then beat George Mason 12-2, on Friday afternoon. In the first inning, the NC A&T Aggies (1-1) sent nine batters to the plate and scored three runs on two hits and three walks against the George Mason Patriots. The Aggies increased the lead in the top of the third, sending 11 batters to the plate and scoring six runs on three hits and four walks again against George Mason pitchers to extend the lead to 9-0.
NC A&T loaded the bases and batted around again in the top of the fourth adding more runs. Aggies senior Dustin Baber provided the big hit cleared the bases with a double down the right field line to make the score 12-0.
At the plate, Baber was one for four and four runs batted in, Alex Bibbs went two for three with two runs driven home, Zach McLean had two runs batted in and lead-off hitter Donte Wade scored two runs, had one RBI and was walked four times.
On the hill, Aggie starter Ethan Chavis in 5.0 innings, issues four hits no runs striking out four. In relief, Jeremiah Foster, Ian Cawthorne, Justin Fox, and Justin O’Neal combined to allow Patriot batters four hits, two runs while fanning four.