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ORMOND BEACH, Fla. – The Southern Division #3 seed Savannah State opened the 2013 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Championship on Thursday with two big wins at the Ormond Sports Complex in Ormond Beach, Florida.

Led by sophomore Amber Hallman, SSU used the long ball in a 10-6 victory in the opening game against the Northern Division #2 seed Norfolk State.

In the nightcap, senior Madison Hedderly pitched a three-hitter against the three-time defending MEAC champions, and Southern Division #1 seed, Bethune-Cookman, en route to an 8-1 win.

The two wins send the Lady Tigers to the semifinals of the championship to face off with the Northern Division #1 seed Hampton University at 1 p.m. on Friday, May 10.

The Long Ball
In the opening inning of game one, freshman Michaela Patton singled through the left side to reach. Hallman scored Patton on a sacrifice fly out to lift SSU to a 1-0 lead.

The Lady Spartans responded in the bottom of the second with two runs on two hits for a 2-1 advantage.

Teams went scoreless through the third and fourth innings. In the top of the fifth SSU opened up the game.  Patton singled through the left side, scoring Megan Uhrman who reached on a fielding error.

Hallman then blasted a double to left center, clearing the bases, and scoring Patton, Antonette Smith who reached on a singled, and Tiffany Taylor who walked, for a 5-2 SSU lead.

In the bottom of the frame, Norfolk State's Kathy Cortez hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Whitney Williams who singled. Later Haley Ward was platted on a single from Melina Valles to cut SSU's lead to 5-4.

SSU got two hits in the top of the sixth, but failed to plate any runs. Norfolk regained the lead in the bottom of the frame. Alina Moriarty doubled to center, scoring Heather Dunning and Morgan Boyd for a 6-5 Lady Spartan lead.

Trailing in the top of the seventh, Smith reached on a single to lead-off for SSU. Ariona Hagood walked, and Hallman scored them both with her fifth home run of the season over the left field fence for an 8-6 SSU lead.

SSU freshman Torrian Wright reached on an error to follow Hallman's homer. Hedderly then hit her ninth home run of the season, scoring Wright for a 10-6 Lady Tiger advantage.

Norfolk went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the 7^th, solidifying the third win in a MEAC Tournament for the Lady Tigers.

Both teams combined for 23 hits in the competition. The MEAC Player of the Year, Norfolk State's Ward, and the MEAC Rookie of the Year, Wright, combined to go 1-for-8 at the plate.

Hallman led the Lady Tigers at the plate, going 2-for-3 with seven RBI. Patton was 3-for-4 with one RBI. Hedderly and Smith added two hits apiece.
Dunning went 4-for-4 with two RBI to lead the Lady Spartans. Williams was 3-for-4.

Hedderly picked up her 19^th pitching win of the season after a full 7.0 innings of work. She allowed six runs (four earned) on 13 hits with two strikeouts and one walk.

Jamie Shulle was tagged with her 12^th loss of the season after 6.1 innings of work. She allowed 10 runs (five earned) on 10 hits with five strikeouts.

The Upset
Earlier this season Bethune-Cookman swept Savannah State in a three-game conference series, combining for 39 runs on 42 hits.

The song was not the same for the three-time defending MEAC Champions in Thursday night's game. Hedderly held the Wildcats to one hit through five innings. Bethune-Cookman managed only three hits in the contest, as SSU racked up five.

SSU dented the scoreboard in the opening inning behind two errors from the Lady Wildcats. Patton scored on an error after being walked to lift SSU to a 1-0 advantage. Cookman committed seven errors total in the contest.

After 3.5 scoreless innings, SSU took a 2-0 lead in the top of the fifth inning. India Morgan was hit with a pitch that plated Patton, who singled to reach.

With the bases loaded, Bethune-Cookman's Shanel Tolbert got Uhrman to ground-out to end the inning. The Lady Wildcats went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the frame.

In the top of the sixth, Aalyiah Jones, pinch running for Taylor who singled, scored on an error. Hedderly singled to score Hallman who reached on a fielder's choice, and Hagood who walked for a 5-0 SSU advantage.

Bethune-Cookman avoided the shutout in the bottom of the sixth, as Simone Ceasar singled, scoring Calesha Shelly who walked. The Lady Wildcats loaded the bases, but a fly out ended their rally hopes.

In the seventh, SSU shut the door on Cookman. Taylor singled to score Morgan who walked. Patton and Taylor scored on an errant throw for the final two runs of the game.

Hedderly pitched a stellar 7.0 innings, allowing only one earned run on three hits with three walks and five strikeouts for her 20^th pitching win of the season.

Tolbert garnered the pitching loss after 7.0 innings in the circle. She allowed eight runs (four earned) on five hits with seven walks and four strikeouts.