Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Savannah State softball team swept a doubleheader with the University of Maryland Eastern Shore on Saturday at the new Lady Tiger Field.

SSU split the four game series with the Lady Hawks after UMES won the first two games of the series on Friday, 11-10 and 6-5, respectively.

The Lady Tigers blasted a season-high 18 hits and scored a season-high 20 runs to rout the Lady Hawks 20-1 in the opening game. SSU senior Madison Hedderly came in relief in the second game to lead the Lady Tigers to a 3-2 victory.

The Lady Tigers improve to 16-10 overall, while Maryland Eastern Shore falls to 7-14 on the season.

The Rout
Into the bottom of the first inning, SSU trailed Maryland Eastern Shore 0-1, but the deficient didn't hold long.

Freshman Torrian Wright singled to left-center, platting Megan Uhrman who reached on a single. Later, Hedderly doubled to right, scoring Wright. Senior Tiffany Taylor then blasted a home run, scoring India Morgan who walked, and Hedderly to lift SSU to a 5-1 advantage.

The Lady Tigers added two more in the bottom of the second inning. Amber Hallman hit a sacrifice fly to score Antonette Smith, and Michaela Patton stole home for a 7-1 SSU lead after two complete innings.

Savannah State closed the door on Maryland Eastern Shore in the third inning. SSU racked up seven hits and took advantage of two costly Hawk errors for a 10-run inning and a 17-1 lead. The massive offensive was capped by a grand slam from Hedderly that scored Wright, Hallman and Patton.

Wright hit her seventh double of the season in the fourth to score Hallman who reached on an error. Hedderly hit her second home run of the game to score Wright and Morgan for the final runs of the game. Three straight outs in the top of the fifth from UMES ended the game early due to mercy rule.

Hedderly earned her 12^th pitching win of the season after five innings of work. She allowed one earned run on one hit with six strikeouts and two walks.

Carmen Gurrola was tagged with loss for UMES after 2.1 innings in the circle. She allowed 14 runs (13 earned) on 11 hits with no strikeouts.
 
Senior Save
In game two, Hedderly came in pitching relief of senior Cassie Standard in the top of the sixth to lead the Lady Tigers to victory in the bottom of the frame with a solo home run, her sixth of the season.

Hedderly pitched a stellar two innings allowing no runs on one hit to garner her 13^th pitching win of the season. Standard ended with a no decision after a strong five innings of work. She allowed two earned runs on five hits with three walks. There were no strikeouts from either team in the game.

UMES' Belen Benitez was tagged with her fifth loss of the season after six innings in the circle. She allowed three runs (two earned) on nine hits with one walk.

The Lady Tigers opened the scoring in the first. Wright hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Patton who reached on a single.

Maryland Eastern Shore took the lead in the top of the fourth.  With loaded bases, Morgan King scored when Benitez was hit with a pitch to tie the game up at one. Later in the inning, Chelsea Alston singled to score Trenece Nash who reached on a fielder's choice, to give UMES a 2-1 lead.

In the bottom of the fourth, Morgan scored on a throwing error after reaching on a single to tie the game up at two. Morgan led the Lady Tigers at the plate going 3-for-3 with three singles.

The Lady Tigers return to action Tuesday, March 19, at Lady Tiger Field against the University of Arkansas. First pitch under the lights is set for 6 p.m. SSU will have a rematch with the Razorbacks on March 20 at 6 p.m.