LORMAN &045; Oh, the pain.

Alcorn veteran head coach Willie &uot;Rat&uot; McGowan had a hunch this season wouldn’t be one for the record books. His Braves are young, inexperienced and flat-out new to the game of college baseball.

It’s not that they’ve been walloped this season &045; far from it. It’s been these one-, two- and three-run losses that causing the pain.

So when the Braves were on the verge of dropping a one-run game Sunday in what would have been a series sweep at the hands of Jackson State, it felt like another punch in the ribs was on its way.

But the Braves have life. They rallied for three runs in the sixth to take a 7-5 win over the Tigers to avoid the sweep as the first round of SWAC play ended.

&uot;I think with the experience this group has now, it can’t hurt anything,&uot; McGowan said. &uot;It’s got to get better. I’ve been through a lot of pain with them. We’ve been in every ball game we’ve played. I hope it pays off in the second half, and I hope they grow up and become a better ball club. In the second half they’re not young guys anymore.&uot;

The Braves (9-12, 7-9) had made their share of mistakes in the first three games of the series and at times in the final game on Sunday. The Tigers took a 13-10 win in Game 1 after taking both game on Saturday, 12-9 and 8-7.

It’s the same sort of mistakes the Braves haven’t been able to get away from &045; too many errors and too many walks given up. In the Game 2 Sunday neither nemesis plagued the team significantly as pitcher Jermaine Clark retired the side in order in the final two innings and the Braves had just one error.

The three runs in the sixth turned the tide. First-year infielder Corey Wimberly lofted a bloop single just out of reach of Jackson State shortstop Joaquin Rodriguez to score pinch-runner Greg White and Derrell Tidwell for the lead.

&uot;We never have given up on anybody until the last out,&uot; said shortstop Sylvester McClain, one of two seniors with significant experience on the roster. &uot;We had to get the Jackson State pitchers to throw pitches. If we could get deep in the count, we could get on with a single or a walk. We kind of fell back in the standings, but now that we got this win we’ll have momentum going into the second half. That’s really important. We know what the other teams have, and we’ll put that into play in the second half.&uot;

The rally in that bottom half came in the clutch after Caleb Betcharts flied out and Joseph Carey struck out to start the inning against Jackson State pitcher Jerred Vaughn. Credit backup catcher Scott Spillars for smacking a single to reach base, and McGowan lifted him for the speed White to make something happen.

The sophomore didn’t disappoint as he swiped second. But when Tidwell singled to left, Alcorn’s third-base coach held up the stop sign for the speed White as the throw came right into JSU third baseman Anthony Webb.

McGowan, admittedly, didn’t like the call. Fortunately for him, Wimberly followed with the bloop single to drive both runs.

&uot;We put speed in there (with White),&uot; McGowan said. &uot;When I put him in there and (Tidwell) got that hit, I thought he should have scored. We had to make him throw and make him make a perfect throw. I chewed him out, and they know I’m going to chew them out. But it all worked out because the other kids did a good job.&uot;

But the Braves got a huge bunt after that from McClain to move up the speedy Wimberly, and an error on Webb on a ball hit by Clarke brought Wimberly home for the 7-5 lead.

&uot;They say baseball is a game of inches,&uot; JSU head coach Mark Salter said. &uot;We feel very fortunate to come here and at least get a win. It’s always a motivated Willie McGowan team. We came in with a one-game lead (in second), and we leave with a three-game lead. We’ve just got to work to keep getting better.&uot;

Clarke, the Braves’ regular No. 2 starter, had trouble in the fourth inning when the Tigers were able to take a 5-4 lead. Clarke walked the leadoff batter &045; he also did it in the third, a two-run inning for JSU &045; before the Tigers loaded the bases.

The Braves threw out two runners between third and home before Anthony Webb singled in Carl Lipsey and Kenji Williams to tie the game at 4-4. When Rafiel Johnson singled in Bryant Lange for the lead.