Rat Pack Baseball

(Meridian, MS) In an 15-14 extra innings thriller, the Braves tied a career high in win for Head Coach Willie McGowan.  Alcorn State wrapped up the regular season with a 28-14 (15-9) record.  Alcorn used the long ball, three homeruns, to overcome a 7-0 deficit.  With the game tied at eight in the top of the ninth, rightfielder Terrell Johnson (East Point, GA) gave the Braves a two run lead.  In the tenth and the score tied at 10, Jesse Buchanan (Anniston, AL) gave the Braves another two run lead blasting his eighth big fly of the season.

Things started off negative for the Braves as they surrendered an unearned run in the top of the first.  The Bulldogs bolted to a six run lead in the 3rd, when AAMU tagged starter Francisco Garcia (New York, NY) for five runs on five hits.  Alabama A&M chased Garcia from the game in the 4th with a lead-off double.  With the score 7-0, reliever Lee Johnson (Hayward, CA) quieted the bats of the Bulldogs retiring the side with a fly ball and two strike outs.

In the top of the 5th, Alcorn mounted its started at a come back.  David Reed (Chicago, Il) started the inning with a double to center field.  Reed advanced on a fly ball and scored on a single.  Down 7-2, with runners at 1st and 3rd senior Jeff Jones (Greenville, MS) lofted his third homerun of the season.   With the score now 8-5, A lead-off single by Adrian Bowens (Lumberton, MS) crossed home plate on a Buchanan single.  Trailing 8-6 in the 8th, a lead-off double by Johnson and a walk to Bowens came around to score on a Jones' sacrifice fly and a Buchanan single, respectively.

Tied at eight in the bottom of the eight, the Bulldogs took advantage of a lead-off error.  After a sacrifice bunt and the winning runner at second, the Braves elected to walk the current SWAC leader in batting average (.435) to set up the force.  Alabama A&M kept the pressure on the Braves as the runner at second stole third and scored on a throwing error by Reed.

A lead-off walk to pinch hitter DeWayne Billings (Shelby, MS) started another come back by the Braves.  With the tying run in scoring position and down 9-8, Johnson drove a 2-2 pitch over center field wall giving Alcorn State a 10-9 lead.  In the bottom of the ninth, the Bulldogs lead-off hitter reached again on a double.  Alabama A&M advanced the runner on a bunt.  Alcorn cut down the tying run at the plate on a squeeze play to keep the score at 10-9.  A walk move the tying run in scoring position again.  This time the Bulldogs, plated the run on a single that eluded the glove of the Brave's second baseman.

With the scored tied for the third straight inning, Alcorn lead-off batter reached on a walk.  Buchanan, with a full count sent a laser over the left field fence giving the Braves a 12-10 lead.  Alcorn added three additional runs in the inning on two hits, two walks, a hit batter and an error.  The Bulldogs refused to take no for an answer, as they started the innings with their only homerun of the series.  Two walks, an error, a fielder choice, and a single put AAMU down 15-14 and the winning run at second base.  Reliever Donald Nixon (Picayune, MS) retired the Bulldog hitter with a fly ball to right field.

With the regular season completed and a 28-14 record.  The Braves now head to Baton Rouge to compete in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Baseball Championships Tournament.  The 2008 format will showcase eight teams, with two four team brackets, and a televised (ESPNU) winner take all championship game on May 18th.  Alcorn finished as the Eastern Division #2 seed and will have a first round match up with two time defending SWAC Champions Prarie View A&M University.  Southern University and Alabama State comprises the rest of the Alcorn's Bracket.  The opposing brackets includes Jackson State, Grambling State, Mississippi Valley and Texas Southern.

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(Meridian, MS)  In a make-up series from earlier this season, Alcorn State (27-14, 14-10) split a double header with the Bulldogs of Alabama A&M (7-35, 4-19). The Braves wasted a three RBI perfomance by Joel Del Grande (Toronto, CN) losing game one 7-5, after AAMU scored four runs in the bottom of the 6th.  Alcorn rebounded in the night cap as, Meridian native, Rodney Warren put the Braves ahead for good with a grand slam in the 5th.  With the win Head Coach, Willie McGowan is one win shy of his career high of 28, achieved in 1997.

Game one the Braves continued the 2008 trend of jumping out early, 2-0, on a Jesse Buchanan (Anniston, AL) doubled to right center.  The Bulldogs responded in the bottom half of the frame scoring two runs on four hits.  In the 2nd and 3rd innings the Braves would go quietly leaving two men on base.  Alcorn pulled ahead 3-2, on Del Grande's second home run of the season.

Starter Darryl Jordan (Chicago, IL) settled down throwing three scoreless innings.  Alabama A&M lead-off hitter reached for the first time in the 5th, since the first.  The runner would score after advancing on a wild pitch, and two ground balls.  Del Grande struck again, in the 5th, with a single putting the Braves ahead 5-3.

In the 6th the AAMU lead-off hitter reached again on a single.  Jordan would have runners on 1st and 2nd after hitting a batter.  An errant throw by Jordan on a sacrifice bunt led to a runs scored and runners at 1st and 3rd.  With one out in the innings the Bulldogs loaded the bases on a walk.  A touch of small ball and aggressive baserunnung gave the Bulldogs a 6-5 lead after a squeeze bunt.  Alabama A&M added an insurance run on a two out hit to left.   A&M closed out the victory with a 4-6-3 double play.

Game two, the Braves again got things started in the first with a RBI single by Jeff Jones (Greenville, MS).  Alabama A&M answered in the 2nd, when a run scored on two errors and a ground ball.  In the 5th Alcorn put together a six run inning, using a page from A&M's offense.  After a lead-off walk, the Braves loaded the bases on two bunts.  Buchanan evened the score at two with a single.  A RBI fielder choice by Jones gave the Braves a lead.  With the bases still loaded Warren, freshman designated hitter launched a 1-2 pitch well over the left field fence.

Starter Tony Gonzales (Littleton, CO) ran into trouble in the sixth.  The Bulldog scored three runs on four hits and an error to pull within 7-5.  Closer Lee Johnson (Hayward, CA) sealed the victory in the 7th retiring the side in order, for his SWAC leading 7th save of the season.

The Braves and Bulldogs take the field tomorrow at 12 pm for the rubber match of this series.  Tomorrow games wraps up the regular season for the Braves as they begin bracket play in the SWAC tournament on Wednesday at 1:00 pm.

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(Alcorn State, MS)  After losing a heartbreaker yesterday 12-10, with the tying run at the plate, #4 Alcorn (26-13)return to it winning way scoring six runs in the bottom of the 8th.  The come from behind victory over Grambling State (21-24) was the Braves 26th on the season.  Brandon Pearce (New Augusta, MS) pinch hit single to left pull the Brave within one, and catcher Joel Del Grande (Toronto, CN) put the game away with a two run double to right center.

In the top of the 2nd inning the Tigers of GSU drew first blood, scoring two runs on a based load single to left field.  The Braves tacked on its first run in the bottom of the 3rd when Jabari Graham (Tacoma Park, MD) singled to center.  The Braves scored two runs on back to back singles, to tie the game at three, by freshmen Rodney Warren (Meredien, MS) and Brandon Hollins (Yazoo City, MS) after a lead-off walk.  A wild pitch gave the Braves a 4-3 lead.  Del Grande gave the Braves a 5-3 lead with a sacrifice fly, after walk and two singles loaded the based.

Starter Donald Nixon (Picayune, MS) threw four scoreless innings after giving up two in the 2nd.  Problems erupted in the 7th when Nixon hit the lead-off batter.  With a single and an error the Tigers tied the game on a based loaded single to left field.  With the tide changing back to the visitors, lefthander Cedric Pomerlee (Indianola, MS) was brought in to put out the Black and Gold fire.  The Braves appeared to doing just that when a controversial call at third kept the Tigers alive.  After loading the bases with a hit batter, the Braves relinquished the lead on a bad hop double to third base.

Again in the bottom of the frame the Braves had the based loaded.  Down 7-5, Warren  singled up the box tying the game again, at seven.  The Braves surrender three additional runs, 10-7, in the top of the 8th.  The stage was set in the eight with GSU's closer facing the top of the Braves lineup.   A lead-off walk made its way to third on a wild pitch and an error.  Adrian Bowen (Lumberton, MS) fourth walk put runners on the corners.  The Braves again had the bases loaded after a hit by pitch to Graham.  With the game on the line, up step the Braves senior third baseman.  On a 1-1 pitch he delivered with a single to left pulling the Brave within one.  Jeff Jones (Greenville, MS) tie it at ten, with a fielders choice.   Del Grande put the nail in the coffin with a double to right center giving the Braves a 12-10 lead.  Pinch hitter, Brian Scott (Greenville, MS) added an additional insurance run with a single to right.

Senior Francisco Garcia (New York, NY) collected the first two out with ease, on two pop flys to the infield.  Grambling refused to go quietly into the night, bringing the tying run to the plate after two singles.  Garcia collected his first save of the season, as Scott ran a line drive down in right center field.

The Brave return to action on Saturday, taking on the Bulldogs of Alabama A&M.  With this being a make up series from earlier this season, the games will take place in Meredien at Q.B. Sykes Park .   Game times are set for 2:00 pm on Saturday and 12:00 pm on Sunday.

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