HOUSTON (Interstat) — James Peterson tossed seven no-hit innings and Jackson Williams homered twice as Alabama State defeated Texas Southern 7-2 on Saturday evening at M.O. Campbell Center in a Southwestern Athletic Conference matchup.

Peterson, a right-hander, allowed only one unearned run while striking out four and walking three. He did not permit a hit, departing after the seventh inning with his team holding a 4-2 lead. Camden Matthews relieved Peterson and pitched two scoreless innings, striking out one to earn the save.

The Hornets improved to 24-19 overall and 12-5 in SWAC play, while the Tigers dropped to 18-16 overall and 9-6 in conference.

Texas Southern grabbed a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning without a hit off Peterson. Christopher Chavez walked and moved to second on a single by Jonathan Trejo. Byron Robinson singled to load the bases. Anthony Ruiz then reached on a fielder’s choice and advanced to second on an error by the shortstop, allowing Trejo and Chavez to score. Both runs were unearned.

Alabama State answered in the top of the third. Fabian Santana singled and Devin Chandler was hit by a pitch. After a sacrifice bunt, Miguel Oropeza was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Niguel Jenkins then reached on a fielder’s choice that saw Oropeza forced out at second, but an error by the Texas Southern first baseman allowed Chandler and Santana to score, tying the game at 2-2.

Williams put Alabama State ahead in the fourth inning, leading off with a solo home run. The Hornets added two more runs in the eighth when Trey Callaway led off with a solo homer and Williams followed with his second home run of the game, a solo shot that made the score 6-2. Jenkins added an RBI single in the ninth for the final margin.

Williams finished 2-for-2 with two home runs and two RBIs. Jenkins went 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Santana collected three hits in four at-bats, scoring twice. Callaway was 1-for-5 with a home run.

Texas Southern starter Joshua Prieto took the loss, allowing four earned runs on six hits over 5 1/3 innings while striking out four. Seve Medrano and Joshua Pena each pitched in relief, combining to allow two earned runs. Ruiz drove in the Tigers’ only run, going 1-for-5.

Texas Southern also recorded nine hits, matching Alabama State’s total, but stranded nine runners and grounded into one double play.

The game’s most critical sequence came in the bottom of the first. After Peterson issued a walk and two singles, the Tigers had the bases loaded with one out. Ruiz’s fielder’s choice could have been an inning-ending double play, but the error by the shortstop allowed two runs to score. Despite that early deficit, Peterson settled in and retired 15 of the next 16 batters he faced, striking out three and allowing only a walk. He did not allow a runner past second base after the first inning.

Alabama State’s offense, meanwhile, chipped away. The Hornets tied the game in the third without a hit of their own, capitalizing on two hit batters, a sacrifice and an error. Williams’ fourth-inning homer gave them the lead for good. The back-to-back homers in the eighth by Callaway and Williams provided crucial insurance.

The Hornets had won four of their previous five games entering the contest, including a series sweep of Mississippi Valley State. Texas Southern had split its last two series, winning two of three at Prairie View before losing three of four at Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

The teams are scheduled to meet again Sunday afternoon in the series finale. Alabama State then travels to South Alabama on Tuesday before returning home for a three-game set against Bethune-Cookman. Texas Southern heads to Southern next weekend.

Interstat’s ELO system projected Alabama State with a 61.90 percent probability to win the game.