ITTA BENA, Miss. (April 6, 2019) - Mississippi Valley State's head softball coach Lee Smith recorded the 400th win of his career in a 6-2 victory for the Devilettes (4-28, 1-10 SWAC) against Alabama State in game two of a doubleheader at the MVSU Softball Field Saturday. The Hornets (17-14, 8-3 SWAC) won game one 9-5.
 
MVSU won their first SWAC game of the season Saturday afternoon against ALST. Lacy Wilburn and Jewel Unga both hit home runs as the Devilettes tied a season-high with two home runs in a game. Dejanae Gage was 2-for-4 at the plate with two RBI while Demi Slater also went 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored. Alejandra Salazar (1-7) picked up her first win of the season pitching a complete game striking out five batters surrendering no earned runs.
 
MVSU trailed 1-0 after the top of the first inning but managed to tie things up on an RBI single to shortstop by Gage scoring freshman Jaylon Davis. The Hornets went back on top in the third inning on a sacrifice fly out, 2-1.
 
From there the Devilettes took charge combing for five runs in the fourth and sixth innings. Salazar and the MVSU defense did their part and held ALST to two hits in the final four innings securing their first conference win, 6-2.
 
Slater sparked the Devilettes with a double to center field with two outs in the fourth inning. Wilburn recorded her first home run of the season a two-run shot to left-center putting MVSU in front, 3-2.
 
Then in the sixth inning, MVSU came up with three hits scoring three runs putting the game away. Gage RBI singled to right field in the sixth inning scoring freshman Brianna Alston. With two outs, Unga had her first home run of the season, a two-run shot to left-center field scoring Slater.
 
GAME 1: ALST 9, MVSU 5
 
In game one, the Hornets held MVSU to five hits while registering 12 of their own in a 9-5 win. Gage had her third home run of the season finishing with three RBI on two hits. 
 
The Devilettes led 2-0 after the first inning scoring on a bases-loaded hit by pitch and Wilburn's RBI single to left field scoring Deshonte Smith. 
 
Three more runs came in the fifth inning with MVSU trailing 5-2 to ALST. Gage crushed a three-run home run to center field bringing in freshman Jade Arroyo and senior Kailyn Dunn tying the ballgame, 5-5. The Hornets took a 6-5 lead in the next inning and then added three runs in the seventh inning for a 9-5 victory.
 
MVSU returns to action on Tuesday, Apr. 9 hosting Grambling State in a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m.