Alcorn State baseball is making its first-ever appearance against Stephen F. Austin on Wednesday at Pilgrim’s Park in Nacogdoches, Texas. The game is scheduled for 3 p.m., with live stats available, according to the schools.
The Braves are coming off a series win against Texas Southern, their first road series victory of the season. Head coach Hardy praised the team’s resilience and focus during their extended road stretch in Texas.
Alcorn enters the game with a 4-18 record in away games. Player highlights include Jaylyn Bennett, who leads the team with a .363 batting average and 37 hits. Cooper Harris has three of the team’s nine home runs, and Rayfield Adams III has seven doubles and 11 stolen bases.
Stephen F. Austin, with a 20-17 record, is not ranked in major national polls. The Lumberjacks are led by head coach Matt Vanderburg in his first season, and they recently split their weekend series against UTRGV despite losing the finale at home.
The Jacks’ top hitter is Jhett Creel, batting .336. They have hit 21 home runs, with Ethan Peña, Mark Henning, and Josh Ibe each contributing four. SFA has stolen 58 of 70 bases, led by Cermodrick Bland with 15 steals in 16 attempts. On the mound, Cody Templeton leads with a 4-0 record and a 3.97 ERA.
In their last game, Alcorn fell 18-5 to Texas Southern at MacGregor Park. Tanner Marek drove in five runs, including a walk-off grand slam in the seventh inning. Texas Southern starter Justin Mays improved to 5-1 with the win. Alcorn’s Kanious Davis took the loss, dropping to 3-2.
The Braves will host SWAC rival Southern in a three-game series beginning Friday at Willie E. “Rat” McGowan Stadium in Lorman, Mississippi.
