Alabama State Baseball Team Upsets 4th Ranked University of Miami

Alabama State baseball plated a late run to stun No. 4 ranked Miami with a 6-5 win came on Saturday night at Alex Rodriguez Park.

ASU (34-18) jumped out 3-0 in the second inning, before UM (33-14) tied the game at three in the sixth/ The Hornets pushed the lead back to a pair runs in the seventh as the Hurricanes evened 5-5 in the home half of the same frame. However, ASU scored a run off in the eighth on a fielding error, and then held on in the ninth to master the upset.

The Hurricanes committed four errors in the field behind Andrew Suarez.

Einar Muniz went 3-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI, Waldyvan Estrada went 2-for-4 with two RBI, and Richard Amion drove in two runs for ASU.

Alabama State baseball scored three runs in the second inning with two outs. Branden Castro singled up the middle, and Raul Perez dropped a single just inside the right field line, advancing Castro to third. Muniz then singled to right field, scoring Castro. Amion then drilled a two-run double down the left field line to give the Hornets a 3-0 lead.

After the Hurricanes tied the score with three runs in the sixth, ASU answered with two in the seventh. With one out, Muniz walked and Amion reached on an error. After the second out, Estrada hit an infield single to shortstop, scoring Muniz and Amion for a 5-3 lead.

Miami tied the score in the seventh at 5-5 before the Hornets answered once again. Marrero doubled to lead off the inning. With one out, Castro reached on an error, allowing Marrero to score for the final margin.

In the bottom of ninth, Normando Valentin (4-0) retired the first two batters before hitting Tyler Palmer with a pitch. On a 2-2 pitch, Zack Collins hit a grounder to the right side. Einar Muniz moved to his left on the outfield grass to field it, spun and threw to Dexter Price for the final out.

Joseph Camacho pitched 6 1/3 innings and was charged with all five Hurricane runs as he held Miami scoreless until the sixth inning. Valentin worked the final 2 2/3 innings, allowing one hit, no runs, walking none and striking out three.

Garcia (5-3) allowed a run in the eighth on an error charged to first baseman Brad Fieger. After surrendering a double to Marrero, Garcia saw a hard-hit grounder from Castro make its way past Fieger to plate Marrero for the decisive run.

Source: Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC.org)