The Mississippi Valley State University baseball program got walk-offs from Maury Weaver (game 1) and Angel Perez (game 2) to win the series over Alabama A&M, with the second one a come-from-behind victory down two in the ninth.
The Diamond Devils have a .500 record at 6-6-1 through 13 games, it stands as the latest into a campaign that has happened since the 2010 team went 20-20 through its first 40 contests.
The Basics
- Final Score (Game 1): Mississippi Valley State 8 | Alabama A&M 7
- Final Score (Game 2): Mississippi Valley State 8 | Alabama A&M 7
- Records: Mississippi Valley State (6-6-1, 2-1 SWAC) | Alabama A&M (3-13, 1-2 SWAC)
- Location: Itta Bena, Mississippi – Magnolia Field
- Series History: N/A
- Winning Streak: Mississippi Valley State (W2) | Alabama A&M’s Last Win: March 19, 2022 (6-5)
Mississippi Valley State Top Performers
- Weaver played the hero in game one and scored the clincher in game two while setting up Perez’s heroics in the nightcap with a two-RBI triple to tie the ballgame at seven. In the two games, he went 3-for-8 (.375) with a triple, a double and a single on top of three RBIs, two runs scored plus a walk.
- Speaking of Perez, Coach Stubbs showed confidence in his second baseman after a 0-for-4 showing in the first matchup, pinch-hitting with him with the winning run 90-feet away and he delivered with a chopper to second that saw the runner glide in just before the tag.
- Chris Soeder had an unusual stat line as he reached safely five times courtesy of two hit-by-pitches, two walks, two runs scored, one hit and an RBI to lead the team with five times on-base.
- Ty Washington saw Soeder’s day and said “grab my non-alcoholic beverage because I’m underage” by producing one hit, a sacrifice fly, four RBIs, two runs scored and a triple . . . with the triple clearing the bases for three of his four runs batted in and being the only hit in a 1-of-8 afternoon.
- Joshua Wilson seemed to enjoy himself the number two today as over two games he collected two hits, two runs, two RBIs, two hit-by-pitches, two stolen bases, a two-bagger (double) . . . and a single plus a base on balls.
- Other notable hitters for the Green and White included Narvin Booker (3-for-9, 2 SB, 2 R), Davon Mims (2-for-5, 2 R, SB), and Eric Johnson II (2-for-3 & R – game one only).
- Iankel Santos made only his third career appearance on the mound for the Delta Devils but came away with his first pitching win as he allowed just one run on two hits over three innings while picking up a pair of strikeouts along the way.
- Game one starter Isiah Valenzuela was in-line for the victory before a Bulldog rally, turning in six innings of one-walk work and a season-best five strikeouts.
- Hunter Stallings took the ball to begin the rubber match and went on to pitch a season-high five innings and six whiffs while surrendering only three earned runs.
Notes
- Game one’s walk-off single by Weaver was the first victory in the team’s final at-bat since March 21, 2018 when the Devils beat Delta State in ten, 6-5.
- The Delta Devils defeated the Bulldogs for the first time in its previous 17 attempts, collecting a triumph against AAMU which it last accomplished on March 25, 2018.
The men from Itta Bena will attempt to move above the .500 mark starting on Friday, March 25 when they take on the FAMU Rattlers at 4 p.m. CT inside Moore-Kittles Field.