Due to inclement weather that was expected, the Southern Jaguars played a doubleheader against a conference foe, the Alabama State Hornets. The Jags came into the doubleheader with a 7-7 overall record, while Alabama State had a 7-11 record. The matchup would mark Southern’s first official conference play series of the season. The Jags were looking to start conference play on a high note in front of a home atmosphere at Lee Hines Field.
Southern’s bats started hot; the junior infielder, KJ White, was on base due to being walked, allowing for the junior outfielder, Cardell Thibodaux, to hit a home run toward the right side, crediting Thibodaux with a two-run Homer to start the game off. Southern would finish the first inning with 3 runs, taking an early 3-0 lead with control of the bottom of the innings. However, the momentum changed as the pitching department had some struggles in the top of the 2nd inning, giving the Hornets 2 home runs and 8 RBIs, allowing the Hornets to take the lead 8-3. The Jags would claw back slowly into the game due to the efforts of Kameron Byrd, who hit a 2-run homer in the 3rd inning, making the score 8-5. The Jags cut the lead down to 8-6. The lead would shrink some more as Thibodaux hit a solo-homerun in the 4th inning, which was his 2nd of the day to make the score 8-7 after the 4th inning. However, the bats would go quiet for Southern until the 9th inning, while Alabama State bats remained hot. Southern scored one run, causing the Jags to lose Game 1, 14-8.
In Game 2, the Alabama State Hornets wasted no time taking a big lead due to a high number of hits in the first 3 innings, taking a 7-0 advantage. Southern didn’t score until the bottom of the 3rd inning when senior catcher and infielder Taj Bates hit a double, bringing in 2 runners to make the score 7-2. Through innings 4 to the top of the 6, Southern scored 3 runs compared to Alabama State’s 5 runs, allowing the score to be Hornets-12 Jaguars-5. However, despite Southern bats being dormant, they became active at the bottom of the 6th. Junior outfielder Jaylon Lucky hit a 3-run homer, helping the Jags grow closer, making the score 12-9. The Jags would finish the bottom of the 6th inning, losing 12-10. However, Alabama State neutralized the momentum as they found more success in the batting department due to the number of walks the Jags gave up, creating an 18-10 lead by the 9th inning. The Jags would lose game 2, 18-12.
However, the last game that was played recently, the Jags won 11-3. The Jags gave up 37 combined hits in the first two games of the series but gave up 10 in the 3rd game. Thibodaux hit a double and stole home. Kameron Byrd had a triple, and senior infielder Dylan Jones hit a home run. The Jags would have 9 RBIs. The Jags are now 8-9, with a conference record of 1-2, losing the first SWAC series of the season.
