ASU Ends SWAC Baseball Tournament Run with 8-4 Loss to Florida A&M

Alabama State University’s SWAC Baseball Championship run came to an end with an 8-4 loss to Florida A&M University in an elimination game in Atlanta on Saturday.

ASU ends the season with a school record of 41 wins. The Hornets are just the fifth SWAC member to win 40-plus games in a season and the first since 2002-03.

No. 1 seed Alabama State and No. 3 seed Florida A&M played three times in the tournament.

This game started with Janmikell Bastardo hitting a two-run home run to start the scoring and give the Rattlers a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Will Browns doubled and scored on a Jalen Niles sac-fly in the fourth to give FAMU a 3-0 lead.

Alabama State got RBI singles from Cristian Lopez and Jamal George to cut the deficit to 3-2 in the bottom of the fourth.

The Rattlers pushed three runs across in the fifth to increase their lead to 6-2. Jared Weber homered to left field followed by run-scoring singles by Adam Haridermota and Niles. A Weber RBI double gave the Rattlers a 7-2 lead in the sixth.

Ian Matos worked a bases-loaded walk and Jack Hay got a run home on a sac fly to get the Hornets within 7-4 in the seventh.

The Rattlers added a run to take an 8-4 lead on a Joseph Pierini single to center in the top of the ninth.

Alabama State pulled Adiel Melendez after the first inning. He stood as the losing pitcher. Melenndez surrendering two earned runs.

The Hornets’ title defense came to an end in the semifinals. They finished the year at 41-18. Florida A&M moves on to the championship game.

— Information from the SWAC and ASU