Photo: Jenna Mae Thorne had three hits on the day for the Lady Hornets.
Wilson’s Go-Ahead RBI Single Sparks Lady Hornets Past SEMO
MONROE, La. – Brittney Wilson came through with a go-ahead RBI single as part of a three-run sixth inning and Melissa Christmann came on in solid relief as the Alabama State softball team defeated Southeast Missouri State 8-5 on the first game of the day at the Mardi Gras Tournament.
The Lady Hornets got huge production from the bottom of the lineup.
Jazzmin Romero, batted from the eighth spot, and went 2-for-2 with a walk and three runs scored. Wilson, hit ninth in the order, and batted 3-for-3 with a home run, three runs and three RBI.
The starting pitchers controlled the game early with each tossing scoreless innings through the first two and a half innings.
ASU struck first in the top of the third. After Jazzmin Romero worked a walk, Wilson singled between the shortstop and second baseman.
Valerie Centeno showed bunt and swung away for a RBI single that got through up the middle. Laura Aguilar bunted over the runners to second and third and Jenna Mae Thorne reached on a fielder’s choice. Pinch runner Tacresha Favors came around to score. Carly Evans drove it to right field for a sacrifice fly RBI.
The Redhawks (0-1) got back into it with a two-run home run in the top of the fourth inning.
SEMO tied it in the fifth on a RBI single and a fielding error by the centerfielder and then took a 4-3 lead on a single to right-center field.
ASU recaptured the lead in the bottom of the fifth. Romero led off with a flare single to left before Wilson teed off with a two-run home run to left-center field.
The inning nearly became even bigger when Aguilar drew a one-out walk and Thorne bunted for a single. But, a 9-2 double play ended the threat.
SEMO then tied it at five in the top of the sixth on a RBI single to center field.
ASU answered back with the decisive three-run sixth. Kendall Core drew a walk. Chelsea Rivera pinch ran for her. Aleesa Yanez moved over Rivera to second on a swinging bunt. Romero singled through the right side to move Rivera to third. Wilson singled through the left side to plate Rivera to give ASU a 6-5 advantage.
Centeno scorched a ground rule double that deflected off the first baseman’s glove and beyond the right field line to drive home a run. Diauna Nelson flew out to right, but the right fielder’s throw home went over the catcher’s head and in came another run.
Christmann stayed on the mound to close it out with a 1-2-3 seventh.
In game two, ASU lost to host Louisiana-Monroe 10-2 in six innings.
In the top of the second, Romero blasted a triple over the right fielder’s head that plated Yanez to knot the score at one.
ASU had an opportunity to take the lead in the third when Evans drove it to the left-center field warning track with a runner on third, but ULM was able to complete a 7-6-5 double play when the runner from third base was ruled that she left the base early.
The Warhawks (5-1) scored four runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a 5-1 lead and didn’t look back.
ASU attempted a comeback, but left runners on base in key situations.
In the fourth, the Lady Hornets left runners on the corners after Core hit a one-out double to right-center and Romero hit it through the right side.
ASU tacked on a run in the fifth when Centeno came around to score after leading the inning with a single.
Core, Thorne and Romero all had two hits apiece for the Lady Hornets (2-5).
Alabama State will wrap up Mardi Gras Tournament play with rematches against both teams.
The Lady Hornets will play Southeast Missouri State at 9 a.m. followed by another meeting with Louisiana-Monroe directly after the conclusion of the first game.
