SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Savannah State University softball team (20-20, 9-2 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) split the doubleheader against North Carolina A&T State University (14-27, 3-8 MEAC) by winning game one 6-1, but falling in game two 7-3 Saturday at the Lady Tiger Softball Field.
 
The Lady Tigers scored all six runs in game one in the bottom of the third inning, while the Lady Aggies scored all seven runs in the top of the fourth inning of game two.
 
Senior first baseman Torrian Wright led SSU at the plate with a .667 (2-for-3) batting average with a run scored, a home run, three RBIs and recorded a 1.667 slugging percentage and an on-base percentage of .714 in both games, while freshman third baseman Cortni Jones batted .600 (3-for-5) with a run scored and an RBI with an on-base percentage of .667.
 
Junior catcher Tia Bolden batted .500 (3-for-6) with two runs scored, two triples and two RBIs with a 1.167 slugging percentage, while junior center fielder Alexis Singleton batted .333 (2-for-6) with a run scored.
 
On the mound, junior pitcher Amanda Hallman went 1-0 pitching a complete, giving up one unearned run in two hits with five strikeouts in game one, while sophomore pitcher Ashley Eichenlaub pitched three innings giving up five runs on eight hits and freshman pitcher Kasie Johnson pitched four innings giving up two runs on six hits.
 
Savannah State 6, North Carolina A&T State 1
Wright led SSU going 2-for-2 with a run scored and two RBIs with a home run, while Singleton, Jones, Hallman and Bolden each recorded a hit with Bolden recording two RBIs.  On the mound, Hallman pitched a complete game giving up one unearned run on two hits with five strikeouts.
 
The Lady Tigers broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the third inning with six runs to lead 6-0 after three innings.  After a groundout to the shortstop to start the inning, sophomore shortstop Brianna Harris walked and stole second and third.  Singleton walked and stole second, while Harris stole home for the first run of the game.
 
Wright homered to left field to bring home Singleton to give SSU a 3-0 lead.  Back-to-back singles by Jones and Hallman put runners on first and second with one out.  Bolden tripled to left center field to bring in Jones and Hallman to force a pitching change by the Aggies.
 
Second baseman Antonette Smith hit a sacrifice fly to center field to bring home Bolden, but a fly out to center field ended the inning.
 
The Lady Aggies added a run in the top half of the next inning to cut the Lady Tigers lead to the final margin of five runs by a pass ball that allowed a Lady Aggie to score.
 
Alejandra Barcenas and Kimberly Brunson were the two Lady Aggies who recorded a hit, while Janika May scored the only run.  Zadaisha Young-Waddell picked up the loss (4-14) pitching the first 2.1 innings giving up six runs on six hits with three walks, while Mohagony Headen pitched the final 3.2 shutout innings without allowing a hit.
 
North Carolina A&T 7, Savannah State 3
Jones went 2-for-2 with an RBI, while Bolden went 2-for-3 with a run scored.  Junior left fielder Chasney Jenkins, Harris, Singleton and senior right fielder Molly Lillis each recorded a hit.  On the mound, Eichenlaub pitched the first three innings giving up five runs on eight hits and Johnson pitched the final four innings giving up two runs on six hits.
 
The Lady Aggies had a chance to strike first in the top of the second inning after three singles to load the bases with two outs, but a groundout to second base ended the NCAT threat to keep the game scoreless.
 
The Lady Tigers had a good opportunity to strike first in the bottom half of the inning after Wright walked and Jones singled to center field and a Hallman sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third with one out.  But a fielder's choice to first base, who threw home to get Wright out at the plate and a groundout to second base ended the inning to keep the game scoreless.
 
Savannah State broke the scoreless tie in the third inning after Jones walked with the bases loaded on four pitches, but a pop out to the shortstop ended the SSU threat.
 
NCAT scored seven runs in the top half of the next inning to take a 7-1 lead after four innings after an error that allowed a Lady Aggie to score, an RBI single to left field and two additional runs scored on an error, an RBI fielder's choice and a two-run double.
 
Young-Waddell and Headen went 3-for-4, while Young-Waddell added two RBIs and Barcenas went 2-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI.  On the mound, May pitched the first 2.2 innings giving up one run on four hits, while Headen (6-3) picked up the win in relief giving up two runs on four hits.
 
The Lady Tigers look to win the series against the Lady Aggies Sunday at noon for Senior Day at the Lady Tiger Softball Field. 
 
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