Lady Hornets keep a walking to SWAC Championship
IRONDALE, Ala. (bamastatesports.com) – The Lady Hornets softball team just keeps finding a way.
For a second consecutive day in a pressure-filled situation in this SWAC Tournament, Alabama State dug deep and delivered in walk-off fashion as junior third baseman Kendall Core knocked in the winning run on a sacrifice fly RBI that scored Laura Aguilar.
Fundamental softball had done the trick as ASU downed Texas Southern 6-5 in nine innings in a SWAC Championship rematch from last season.
It places Alabama State back in the SWAC championship for the second straight season and for the third time in the past four seasons.
Even when ASU could have easily lost their concentration, the team held their focus.
Texas Southern loaded the bases with one out in the top of the seventh.
With ASU clinging to a 5-4 lead, TSU’s Chanler Powell tapped a grounder to third where Lady Hornets’ third baseman Lexi Grimaldo fielded and stepped on third for the force out.
Grimaldo threw home to beat the runner, but catcher Aleesa Yanez stepped on home plate instead of tagging the runner in time.
Alabama State thought that they had won the game, causing players to rush toward home plate in celebration.
Instead, the runner was ruled safe and the game was tied at 5-5.
The Lady Hornets kept playing hard though and won it in the ninth inning after a rally begin with Aguilar’s single up the middle.
Valerie Centeno drew a walk and Jenna Mae Thorne beat out an infield single after hitting it into the hole between short and third.
Then, Core came to the plate and provided a big drive to right where TSU right fielder Amber Garza made the catch.
Garza had no chance to peg the speedy Aguilar, who slid into home for the win.
Aguilar batted 5-for-5 in the game, the first time a SWAC player had five hits in a single game this season.
“I don’t know how many more of these that I can take,” said relieved ASU head coach Chris Steiner-Wilcoxson, whose team has now won back-to-back postseason games in the ninth inning.
In the circle, Maddie Phelps went seven innings and allowed five runs (only three were earned) and struck out four.
Back in a major relief role, Melissa Christmann (9-10) did the job once again by keeping the Tigers off the board in the eighth and ninth innings.
Christmann allowed two hits and struck out one.
Up next
Alabama State will play the winner between Texas Southern (26-17) and Alcorn State/Mississippi Valley State on Saturday at 2 p.m. on field one at the Shea Brothers Softball Complex in the SWAC Championship.
