A week after winning a series on the road against the SWAC West Division’s second place team, errors cost the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff softball team a series against the last place team.
Alcorn State swept UAPB after winning both games of Tuesday’s doubleheader at the Torii HunterComplex in Pine Bluff. The Lady Braves won the first game 7-6 in 10 innings and the second game 6-4.
After committing five errors on Monday, UAPB (10-23, 5-10 SWAC) committed five in Game 2 and six in Game 3. The Lady Braves scored 22 combined runs in the series with six of them earned.
Tuesday’s first game went to extra innings tied at 5. After neither team scored in the eighth or ninth innings, each team began the 10th with a runner on second.
Alcorn (9-20, 4-11) drove its inherited runner home on a sacrifice bunt by designated player Mariah Morgan. Left fielder Yahnya Acevedo, who had reached on a leadoff error, scored after the throw from first to home got away from catcher Naiyestlie Ware, making it 7-5.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
UAPB’s inherited runner, designated player Allyncia King, scored on an RBI single from right fielder Angelina Rivas, but centerfielder Chasney Cooper was thrown out at third on the play after trying to go from first to third. She had walked with one out the at-bat before Rivas.
Alcorn pitcher Ta’Niyah Fletcher (8-11), who relieved starter Alainah Felton with one out in the sixth inning, struck out the next hitter to end the game and clinch the series for the Braves. She allowed one run on 3 hits with 5 strikeouts and a walk in 4 2/3 innings.
In the series finale, Alcorn catcher Alonah Felton hit a go-ahead 2-RBI single in the top of the first inning. UAPB loaded the bases against Alcorn starter Alexandria Turner in the bottom half of the inning but only scored 1 run. Fletcher pitched the remainder of the game.
UAPB tied the game at 3 in the third inning on an error, and Alcorn added 3 unearned runs in the fifth and sixth. UAPB pitcher Danika Bryant hit a leadoff home run in the sixth, but UAPB couldn’t get any closer.
Fletcher, who pitched all seven innings of Monday’s game, appeared in all three games of the series. In 17 2/3 total innings, she allowed a combined four runs, two earned, on 10 hits with 7 walks and 19 strikeouts in the series.
With UAPB ace pitcher Kayla Adams unavailable due to an undisclosed injury, freshman Kamea Seunarine earned her first career start in Tuesday’s game. She allowed five runs, two earned, on 4 hits and 2 walks with 2 strikeouts before giving the ball to Heidi Price (1-9) with no outs and two runners on base in the sixth.
Price did not allow an earned run in five relief innings, but Alcorn’s two unearned runs in the 10th made the difference. Price allowed 2 hits and 2 walks with 1 strikeout.
Bryant pitched all of the finale, allowing six runs, 2 earned, on 6 hits and 6 walks with 7 strikeouts.
UAPB Coach Michael Bumpers declined to speak to the media after the game.