MONTGOMERY, Ala.- Savannah State (19-17) broke open a close game with three runs in the eighth and two in the ninth for a 7-3 win over the Hornets at Paterson Field.

SSU, who was held hitless until the fourth inning, scored twice in the fifth as Darien Campbell hit a RBI single and Jonathan Ross hit a RBI double.

Ron James hit a solo home run to help ASU tie the score in the sixth inning.

Ross walked to lead off the eighth and Dexter Kelley followed with a home run to put SSU ahead 4-2. Matt Nowacki followed Kelley's homer with a double and later scored an unearned run to extend Savannah State's lead to 5-2.

The Hornets cut SSU's lead to 5-3 in the bottom of the eighth but Nowacki hit a two-run single in the top of the ninth to give the Tigers some breathing room.

Kelley and Nowacki drove in two runs each while Campbell scored twice. Eric Ransom earned the win, pitching six innings and giving up nine hits and two runs.

Drew Quinney had four hits for ASU (10-12) while Anthony Ricciardi was tagged with the loss. Ricciardi gave up nine hits, five runs and struck out four in seven innings.