Softball 3/29/2015 8:08:00 PM

Softball Does Damage From The Plate In First Conference Series

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Savannah State softball bats were red hot this weekend as the Lady Tigers racked up 24 hits over three games to earn a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) road series win over Florida A&M.

The Lady Tigers regrouped from a 2-3 loss in the first game on Saturday to clinch an 11-7 win in game two later that day and a 5-4 win in Sunday's rubber match. SSU improves to 9-15 on the season and 2-1 in conference play.

SSU put up their only two runs of the game in the second inning of the first game with the Lady Rattlers. Molly Lillis plated Tia Bolden on a groundout, and later Alexis Singleton singled up the middle to score Antonette Smith.

FAMU responded in the bottom of the second with a single run. The Lady Rattlers held SSU scoreless over the following five innings, as they added single runs in the 4^th and 5^th innings for the final single-digit win. SSU stranded five runners in the last five innings.

SSU out-hit FAMU in the contest 8-6. Singleton led the Lady Tigers from the plate, going 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Ashley Eichenlaub recorded her 8^th pitching loss of the season after 6.0 innings of work. She allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits with three walks. Veroni Burse picked up her 3^rd win after a complete game in the circle. She allowed two earned runs on eight hits with four strikeouts and three walks.

Game two on Saturday was a very different story as the Lady Tigers found some room at the plate to work.

The Lady Rattlers opened up the scoring in the bottom of the first inning, platting four runs on one hit, some good base running, and a costly SSU error.

Trailing by four runs into the third inning, SSU began to cut into FAMU's lead. Freshman Briana Harris doubled to score Smith and Bolden. Later, Amber Hallman doubled down the left-field line to score Harris, and cut FAMU's lead to a single run.

In the top of the fifth inning, SSU took their first lead of the game behind a 3-run homer from Amb. Hallman that scored Torrian Wright and Amanda Hallman.
FAMU tied up the game in the bottom of the frame behind three hits, including a double from Amber Fullwood.

The Lady Tigers responded with a big sixth inning. Bolden led off with a centerfield home run. Wright later followed with a big 3-run homer, scoring Harris and Singleton.

Wright (12 HR) and Amb. Hallman (8 HR) are No.1 and No.2 in home runs in the MEAC, respectively. Wright leads the MEAC in batting average (.549), and is ranked 2^nd in the nation in home runs per game, and 3^rd in batting average.

After batting around, Bolden earned her second RBI of the frame with a single that scored Amb. Hallman. SSU took an 11-6 lead behind six hits and one FAMU error. The Lady Rattlers tacked on one more run in the bottom of the 7^th for the final score.

Amb. Hallman led SSU from the plate, going 3-for-4 with four RBI. Harris went 2-for-5 with two RBI and Bolden finished 2-for-4 with two RBI. The Lady Tigers racked up 11 hits, including three doubles, and three home runs.

Eichenlaub picked up her 6^th win of the season after a complete game in the circle. She allowed seven runs (five earned) on 10 hits with four walks and one strikeout. Eichenlaub pitched all three games in the series, ending with a 2.80 ERA for the weekend.

Sunday's rubber-match opened with two scoreless innings. Savannah State drew first blood in the top of the third.

Amb. Hallman singled up the middle to score Ama. Hallman and Harris. Harris singled to reach and stole two bases to get into scoring position. Lillis scored Wright, who reached on an intentional walk, to give SSU a 3-0 lead.

FAMU put up a single run on two hits in the bottom of the frame. The Lady Tigers tacked on one more run for a 4-1 lead in the 4^th behind hits from Harris and Singleton.

After the Lady Rattlers cut SSU's lead to 4-2 in the bottom of the frame, SSU platted another run in the top of the fifth for a 5-2 advantage. Smith doubled to left, scoring Bolden.

In the bottom of the 7^th, Fullwood doubled to reach. Miesha McBride reached on an error, sending Fullwood to third. McBride and Denise Anderson changed positions, and McBride went back to the plate. She grounded out, but scored Fullwood for an RBI.

Amanda Weaver doubled to score Anderson. With two outs and the go-ahead run on base, Eichenlaub got Alex Sandage to groundout to third to seal up the win for SSU.

Eichenlaub earned her 7^th win this season. The true freshman, and Savannah native, pitched 7.0 innings, allowing four runs (one earned) on nine hits with four walks and one strikeout. Harris, another true freshman, led the Lady Tigers from the plate, going 2-for-3 on the day.

SSU returns to action with another 3-game, MEAC series. They face North Carolina Central in Savannah on April 3 and 4.

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Players Mentioned

#6 Alexis Singleton: OF; 5' 8"; Sophomore

#14 Tia Bolden: 3B/C; 5' 8"; Sophomore

#18 Torrian Wright: 1B; 5' 6"; Junior

#20 Antonette Smith: SS; 5' 5"; Junior

#21 Molly Lillis: OF; 5' 5"; Junior

#22 Amanda Hallman: P; 5' 7"; Sophomore

#24 Ashley Eichenlaub: P/1B; 5' 7"; Freshman

#70 Amber Hallman: 3B; 5' 6"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#6 Alexis Singleton
: 5' 8"; Sophomore
: OF

#14 Tia Bolden
: 5' 8"; Sophomore
: 3B/C

#18 Torrian Wright
: 5' 6"; Junior
: 1B

#20 Antonette Smith
: 5' 5"; Junior
: SS

#21 Molly Lillis
: 5' 5"; Junior
: OF

#22 Amanda Hallman
: 5' 7"; Sophomore
: P

#24 Ashley Eichenlaub
: 5' 7"; Freshman
: P/1B

#70 Amber Hallman
: 5' 6"; Senior
: 3B