SAVANNAH, Ga.- Savannah State broke open a close game by scoring 10 runs in the eighth inning and go on to defeat North Carolina Central 16-6 in the first game of a double header at Tiger Field.

The Tigers improved their overall record to 24-19 with a 11-0 shutout win in the second game.

In the first game, Nate Smith hit a 3-run double to help NCCU to a 4-0 lead in the first inning. Not to be outdone, Joseph McCrary hit a 3-run home run in the bottom of the inning as the Tigers scored 5 runs.

Smith drove in runs in the 3rd and 5th innings for the Eagles to give NCCU a 6-5 edge.

Savannah State tied the game at 6 in the bottom of the 7th before exploding for 10 runs in the 8th.

In the 8th, SSU scored 10 runs on 6 hits as McCrary and Matty Nowacki hit RBI singles and Toff Hagen hit a 2-run single. Chris Arnold hit a RBI single as well as a RBI double.

McCrary finished the contest with 4 RBI, 3 runs and 2 hits.Arnold had 2 hits and 2 RBI, Hagen drove in 2 runs and Dexter Kelley scored 3 times. Kevin Herlihy pitched all 8 innings and struck out 3 to get the win.

Smith had 2 hits and 5 RBIs in the loss. Brandon Oatis was tagged with the loss, giving up 4 runs and 3 walks in 1.1 inning.

In the second game, SSU led 2-0 after 4 innings but scored 9 times in the 5th.

Peter Poole led off the second with a single and scored on a fielder's choice by Arnold. In the fourth, McCrary led off with a double and scored on a groundout fly by Herlihy for a 2-0 lead.

In the 5th, where the Tigers scored 9 times off 7 hits, McCrary, Cordarian Robertson and Kelley hit RBI singles and Nowacki hit a 2 run single.

Kyle McGowin pitched 6 innings and gave up 3 hits while striking out 6. Kelley had 2 hits and 3 RBIs, McCrary had 2 hits and scored twice, Nowacki drove in 2 runs, Robertson had 2 hits while Poole and Arnold scored twice.

Glenn Frye took the loss for the Eagles, who made 4 errors. Smith hit a double for NCCU.