SU takes two from Braves

Relief pitcher Michael Thomas wasn’t the pitcher Alcorn State wanted to see Tuesday at a game played at Lee-Hines Field.
But for Southern, Thomas was the right fit as he helped the Jaguars edge past ASU, 9-8, to claim game one of a series sweep. Thomas retired nine of 10 batters and rallied SU from a late four-run deficit.
“They told me to get ready,” Thomas said. “I was in the dugout eating sunflower seeds.”
Thomas managed to stabilize the Braves’ attack, striking out three batters and coming through with a clutch one-out single in the seventh.


”I felt he could do it,” SU coach Roger Cador said. “He was comfortable and confident.”
From there, SU began to play inspired baseball, squaring the score at eight in the sixth inning with four unanswered runs.
 
With two outs and a runner in scoring position, shortstop Jesse Olivar hit a grounder towards third base, which scored the game-winning in the bottom of the seventh.
 

Game two wasn’t as competitive.
As fans and onlookers from the Harding Boulevard overpass watched, SU pounded ASU, 9-1.
 
Offensively, SU manhandled the first two pitchers, scoring all nine of their runs in the first two innings.
 
Between games, Cador acknowledged ASU coach Willie McGowan, who will retire at the end of the season. McGowan has spent more than three decades as Alcorn’s manager. 
 

SU travels to Arkansas-Pine Bluff this weekend in SWAC Western Division play. The Jags return home Wednesday to take on Southeastern at 6:30 p.m.