NATCHEZ — Alcorn State jumped ahead of rival Jackson State early in the first game of their double header at Chester Willis Field Friday afternoon, going up by as many as eight runs before surviving a late Tiger rally to win by the final score 8-6.

The Braves attacked the Tigers early in the bottom of the first as Shawn Taylor homered over the left field wall to score Brian Scott, who previously reached first base on an error by Jackson State first baseman Derek Johnson. One swing of the bat later, the Braves went up 3-0 as Marcus Davis backed Taylor’s home run with a solo shot of his own that sailed over left-center field. That was only the first of two Davis home runs in the game.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, with the Braves up 4-0 after a Davis Reed single scored Jeffrey Jones in the bottom of the second, Davis hit his second home run of the game by going the opposite way over right field with the bases loaded for a grand slam.

Two errors, a bunt and a hit batter set the stage for Davis.

“The key to the game was the grand slam that Marcus hit. We really need that hit,” Alcorn head coach Willie “Rat” McGowan said. “The errors they made also hurt them.”

After committing four errors in the first four innings, the Tigers tried to atone for their defensive errors at the plate in the top of the fifth by cutting Alcorn’s lead in half. Three runs scored when Tiger outfielder Anthony McLin doubled with the bases loaded to score three runs. It was 8-4 after Cortez Cole singled to drive in a run.

Two more runs scored in the top of the sixth after LaDerek Camper drew a walk off Micah Finch, who relieved Alcorn starting pitcher Darryl Jordan in top of the fifth inning, and McLin hit his first home run of the day over the left field wall.

“I was concerned with the pitching. We had walks come at bad times,” McGowan said.

McGowan added that his team must also do a better job at the plate when they have an opponent down.

“We must generate more offense when we have them (opponents) down, and we must be able to put them away,” he said.

In game two the Braves were able to put the Tigers away, as Alcorn defeated Jackson State 10-5 to clinch the three-game series.

The win marks the fourth straight game Alcorn has come out on top of Jackson State this season, and improved the Braves overall record to 21-17. The Braves still must win out the regular season to tie the Tigers for the division championship, but having won the series, Alcorn would receive the No. 1 seed.

Game three will be played today at Trustmark Park in Jackson. Alcorn will close out the regular season against Alabama A&M in a three game series at Chester Willis Field beginning Friday.