ORANGEBURG, S.C. – The Savannah State University softball team (24-21, 12-2 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) swept the doubleheader against South Carolina State University (5-26, 2-12 MEAC) to win the MEAC Southern Division for the second consecutive season and to enter the MEAC Championship as the No. 1 seed in the Southern Division.
 
The Lady Tigers scored eight runs in the first two innings and three runs in the fifth inning to capture an 11-0 win in game one and to clinch the No. 1 in the MEAC Southern Division, while in game two, Savannah State scored in every inning, including four runs in the second inning, to capture an 11-0 win to capture the MEAC crown.
 
Junior right fielder Alexis Singleton led SSU going perfect at the plate, 4-for-4, with four runs scored and an RBI, while sophomore center fielder Shelby Eccles batted .750 (3-for-4) with three runs scored and two RBIs. 
 
Freshman third baseman Cortni Jones batted .667 (4-for-6) with two runs scored, a double, two triples with four RBIs, while senior first baseman Torrian Wright and junior left fielder Chasney Jenkins each batted .600 (3-for-5) with two runs scored and four RBIs each.  Wright added two doubles and Jenkins added a triple.  Senior second baseman Antonette Smith batted .500 (3-for-6) with one run scored, on double and two RBIs.
 
On the mound, the Lady Tigers didn't give up a run in 10 innings scattering four hits with one walk and six strikeouts. 
 
Savannah State 11, South Carolina State 0 (5)
Singleton led SSU at the plate going 3-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI, while Jenkins went 2-for-4 with a run scored and four RBIs, Wright went 2-for-3 with a run scored and three RBIs.  Jones went 2-for-3 with a run scored and two RBIs and Eccles went 2-for-2 with two runs scored. 
 
On the mound, Hallman (13-10) picked up the win pitching the first four shutout innings scattering one hit with four strikeouts, while freshman pitcher Faith Dickerson pitched the final shutout inning without allowing a hit.
 
The Lady Tigers started the game scoring four runs in the top of the first inning to lead 4-0 after an inning.  After a strikeout to start the inning, sophomore shortstop Brianna Harris doubled and Singleton singled to left field to bring home Harris for a 1-0 lead, while Wright singled to the shortstop to advance Singleton to third with one out.
 
Wright stole second and Jones doubled home to center field to drive home Singleton and Wright for a 3-0 lead.  Jones stole third and Hallman groundout out to third for the second out to drive home Jones for a 4-0 lead.  Junior catcher Tia Bolden walked, but a groundout to the second baseman ended the inning.

The Lady Tigers scored four runs in the top of the second inning to take an 8-0 lead after two innings.  Eccles started the inning with a walk followed by Jenkins singled to right field to score Eccles for a 5-0 lead and advanced to second on the throw to home.  Harris walked and Singleton hit an infield single to load the bases for Wright with no outs.
 
Wright doubled to center field to clear the bases for three RBIs for an 8-0 lead, but a fielder's choice to get Wright out at third and a pop up to the shortstop and a groundout to the shortstop ended the inning.
 
The Lady Bulldogs started the second inning with a single to right center for the only base hit of the game.  The next three batters got out to end the second inning with the Lady Tigers lead 8-0.
 
The Lady Tigers scored the final three runs of the game in the top of the fifth inning.  Jones started the inning with an infield single, but a double play lineout cleared the bases.  Freshman catcher Kelsey Cyrus walked followed by an infield single from Smith to advance Cyrus to second with one out.
 
Eccles singled to right field to load the bases and Jenkins cleared the bases with a three-run triple to score Cyrus, Smith and Eccles for an 11-0 lead.  A fly out ended the inning.
 
The Lady Bulldogs went 1-2-3 in the bottom half of the inning to end the game and to give SSU the 11-run win.
 
Nicole Sanders recorded the only hit for the Lady Bulldogs, while Jada Richardson recorded the only walk of the game.  Keirra Cromer (3-16) went the distance giving up 11 runs on 13 hits with four walks and one strikeout.
 
Savannah State 11, South Carolina State 0
Jones and Smith both went 2-for-3 and each added two RBIs, while Jones scored once and Eccles went 1-for-2 with a run scored and two RBIs.  On the mound, sophomore pitcher Ashley Eichenlaub (5-7) picked up the win pitching the first four shutouts innings scattering three hits with a strikeout, while freshman pitcher Kasie Johnson pitched the final inning without allowing a hit with a strikeout.
 
The Lady Tigers scored two runs in the top of the first inning to record a 2-0 lead after the first inning.  Eccles started the game with a walk and stole second.  Harris groundout to shortstop and Singleton walked.  SSU did a double steal as Eccles took third and Singleton took second.  Eccles scored on a wild pitch and a groundout back to the pitcher for the second out and to advance Singleton to third.
 
Jones walked to put runners on the corners and Smith doubled through the left side to drive home Singleton and to put runners on second and third with two outs.  A strikeout ended the inning.
 
The Lady Tigers scored four runs in the top of the second inning to increase their lead to 6-0 after two innings.  Lillis started the inning by reaching on a fielding error by the third baseman and Jenkins followed with a bunt base hit to the pitcher and Lillis scored and Jenkins went to third on a throwing error by the catcher.  Eccles hit a sacrifice fly to bring home Jenkins for a 4-0 lead.  Harris and Singleton hit back-to-back bunt singles, but after Singleton's bunt, Harris was thrown out at third. 
 
Wright doubled up the middle to bring Singleton home for a 5-0 lead and Jones tripled to right center to bring home Wright for a 6-0 lead. A pop out to the shortstop ended the inning.
 
Savannah State added two runs in the third inning to increase their lead to 8-0 after three innings.  Cyrus reached on a fielding error by the third baseman and stole second.  Lillis doubled to left center to bring home Cyrus.  Eichenlaub hit an infield single to advance Lillis, while Eccles singled to the second base to bring home Lillis for an 8-0 lead.  A fly out and a double play ended the inning.
 
The Lady Tigers added two runs in the top of the fourth inning for a 10-0 lead after four innings.  Bolden started the inning with a walk, followed by Jones' second triple of the game to bring in Bolden for a 9-0 lead.  Smith hit an infield single to score Jones for a 10-0 lead.  Cyrus singled to right field to advance Smith to second.  The next batter flied out to center field, followed by a strikeout and a groundout to the pitcher ended the inning.
 
The Lady Tigers scored the final run of the inning in the top of the fifth for an 11-0 lead.  Back-to-back groundouts started the inning, but Bolden doubled to center field and scored on a throwing error by the right fielder for an 11-0 lead. 
 
SCSU went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the fifth inning to give the Lady Tigers an 11-run win in game two.
 
The Lady Tigers look to sweep South Carolina State with the final game of the series on Sunday at noon in Orangeburg, S.C., for the final regular season game.
 
Tigers Online
www.ssuathletics.com
Twitter | @savstatetigers
Facebook | Instagram
YouTube | Pinterest