Alcorn Baseball Faces No. 25 Ole Miss in Midweek Matchup
Alcorn State baseball is set to face its second Top 25 opponent of the season when it visits No. 25 Ole Miss on Tuesday at Swayze Field in Oxford, Mississippi. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CST, and the game will be streamed on SEC Network+.
Last season, Ole Miss defeated Alcorn 29-1 in a seven-inning game at Swayze Field, with the Rebels hitting five home runs. Returning Braves players Clayvonjae Wright and Kanious Davis each recorded a hit in that matchup, according to team sources.
Alcorn enters the game with a 7-25 record and has lost six straight. Their last win against a Division I opponent was on March 14 against Alabama A&M. The team has already surpassed last year’s win total of six, which was the program’s previous season high under head coach Carlton Hardy.
Jaylyn Bennett leads the Braves with a .365 batting average, six doubles, and 11 stolen bases. Cooper Harris and Gavin Caston each have two home runs. Freshman Devin Kriley pitched 4.2 innings against Mississippi Valley State last week, allowing five runs and striking out five, according to game stats.
Despite a 10.20 ERA, Alcorn’s pitching staff has recorded 191 strikeouts this season, ranking ninth in the SWAC. The team has stolen 66 bases in 81 attempts, with Bennett and Keaten Hawk each contributing significantly.
Braves head coach Carlton Hardy emphasized the challenge of facing a ranked opponent. “Anytime you get an opportunity to play a program like Ole Miss, you embrace it,” Hardy said. “It’s a tough environment, but our guys are excited about the challenge. We need to play loose and see where it takes us.”
Ole Miss enters with a 22-11 record and a 5-7 mark in SEC play. The Rebels are ranked 25th in D1Baseball.com and have notable hitters such as Tristan Bissetta (.320) and Judd Utermark (.303). Their pitching staff features Hunter Elliott, who has a 3-1 record and 60 strikeouts this season.
The Rebels recently earned a series win over Florida and have a 7-4 record in midweek games at home. They have lost six of their last ten games, including a series sweep at the hands of Mississippi State last week.
Following Tuesday’s game, Alcorn will continue SWAC play with a series against Texas Southern in Houston, April 10-12. Fans can follow updates on Alcorn State Sports’ social media channels.
Source: Original Article
