SWAC-ky

Dust is still swirling in the Southwestern Athletic Conference East Division. Two home runs in the 10th inning enabled Alcorn State to beat Jackson State 4-1 at Braddy Field on Friday and remain in first place. You want clutch? Kenny Rowan, a former Hinds Community College standout, hit a two-run homer and Eduardo Gonzalez a solo shot off JSU’s Cortney Nelson to put the Braves ahead. It was the first homer of the year for both. Steve Easter (5-2) then pitched the bottom of the 10th to wrap up a complete game win. He outdueled JSU ace Quintavious Drains, who left with one down in the top of the 10th. Alcorn (11-4 SWAC) and JSU (10-6) play a doubleheader today. Mississippi Valley State (9-5) plays a pair at last-place Alabama A&M; today and a single game Sunday. This is going to be a fight to the finish.
P.S. Weir’s Roy Oswalt, the ex-Holmes CC and current Philadelphia Phillies star, left his Friday start in the seventh inning with a back problem; he said he’s “hoping to be OK in two days” and not miss a start. He left with a lead, which the Phillies squandered to Florida. … Hattiesburg native and onetime big leaguer Joey Gathright has signed with the independent Shreveport-Bossier Captains. … Former JADAPs (Jackson area Double-A players) are making news all over The Show. Yunel Escobar (.417) leads the American League in hitting, and Bobby Abreu (.357) is sixth. Lance Berkman has hit six homers this week. Jeff Francoeur is on a 10-for-17 tear. Charlie Morton came within one out of a shutout on Friday in earning his second win of the year. And Matt Harrison (3-0) went eight innings to beat the Yankees at Yankee Stadium.