LORMAN, Miss. — Alcorn State’s baseball team honored its seniors Saturday at McGowan Stadium during a Southwestern Athletic Conference series finale against Alabama State. The Braves fell 14-10 in their final game of the 2026 season, according to school officials.
Before the game, Alcorn paid tribute to seniors Rayfield Adams III, Hunter Bell, Myles Dews, and Hayden Konkler, along with graduate students Jaylyn Bennett and Garrett Oswald. The team’s starter, Kanious Davis, was removed after 2.2 innings, giving up four earned runs on two hits with four walks. Davis, who entered the game with a 3-4 record, took his fifth loss of the season.
Alabama State, which improved to 30-21 overall and 20-10 in SWAC play, struggled early against Davis but found its rhythm in the second time through the lineup. The Hornets scored four runs in the third inning, highlighted by Devin Chandler’s two-run double and Miguel Oropeza’s RBI double. A wild pitch later in the inning pushed the lead to 4-1.
The Braves responded in the bottom of the third, with Bennett hitting a triple to score Adams and later scoring on a balk by Alabama State starter Joe Dolinshek, cutting the deficit to 4-3. The Hornets added single runs in the fourth and seventh innings before blowing the game open with a six-run eighth. Oropeza went 3-for-5 with four RBIs, including a three-run double that extended the lead to 12-4.
Dolinshek earned the win for Alabama State, allowing four runs, three earned, over 5.1 innings. Despite the loss, Alcorn refused to quit, scoring two runs in the eighth and four in the ninth. Jackson, Vallescorbo, and Hollway contributed RBIs in the final frame, with Hollway’s two-run single bringing the score to 14-9. Davis capped the scoring with an RBI single, finishing 4-for-6 at the plate with two RBIs.
Several seniors made notable contributions, including Bennett, who went 2-for-3 with a double, triple, two RBIs, and two stolen bases. Adams was substituted to a standing ovation, and Jackson went 2-for-4 with two RBIs. The final score didn’t reflect the effort and character displayed late in the game, according to school officials.
Alcorn’s season ends with a sense of pride despite the defeat. The team’s fight in the final innings showcased the resilience of its senior class, marking a bittersweet farewell at McGowan Stadium.
