Alcorn State baseball is aiming to end a losing streak this weekend as the team competes in the JSU Tournament at Jackson State’s Bob Braddy Sr. Field. The Braves will face two Southwestern Athletic Conference opponents and one Big South team over three days.
The tournament begins Friday at 5 p.m. with Alcorn facing host Jackson State. The schedule continues Saturday with a noon game against UNC Asheville, followed by a 2 p.m. matchup with Mississippi Valley State on Sunday. All games will be held at Braddy Field, with live stats and tickets available through Jackson State’s website.
Alcorn has not been ranked in any of the five major polls this week. Jackson State, UNC Asheville, and Mississippi Valley State also lack rankings. Since defeating Jackson State to close the opening weekend, Alcorn has won five straight games. However, the team’s offense has struggled, batting .177 as opponents hit .325 against their pitching staff.
Leading the Braves is Rayfield Adams III, who sports a .286 batting average with four RBIs and a perfect fielding percentage. Jamir Holloway has an on-base percentage of .389, despite a .214 batting average. Relief pitcher Myles Dews maintains a 4.50 ERA over four innings, and Julian Jarrett has been errorless in 15 chances, turning two double plays.
In matchups against Jackson State this season, Alcorn broke a six-year losing streak with an 8-7 win in 10 innings during the MLB HBCU Power Series. Jackson State previously defeated Alcorn 7-6 in their second game of a doubleheader in April 2025. Jackson State stands at 5-4 overall heading into the tournament, with a team batting average of .290 and a team ERA of 6.20, according to coach Omar Johnson.
Alcorn has never faced UNC Asheville before. The Bulldogs are 2-6 this season, batting .251 with an ERA of 7.39. The Braves have a strong historical edge over Mississippi Valley State, leading the all-time series 166-96-1. The Delta Devils upset Alcorn 15-12 in their last meeting in 2025.
Coach Hardy emphasized the competitive nature of the weekend’s games. “Every team we play this weekend is capable of beating us if we don’t come ready to compete,” he said. He added that playing in Jackson would be a valuable experience for the team and its fans. The Braves’ next game is Tuesday at home against Southern-New Orleans.
