DURHAM, N.C. – The Savannah State University softball team (16-17, 6-0 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) extended its season-long six game winning streak by defeating North Carolina Central University (3-31, 0-6 MEAC) 15-11 in a comeback victory Tuesday at Parkwood Field to sweep the series.
 
The Lady Eagles held a 10-3 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning and had the game winning run on second with no outs, but a groundout to sophomore shortstop Brianna Harris, who pumped faked the throw to first, threw to third to cut the lead runner for the first out of the inning.  The next two batters recorded outs to continue the game.
 
Savannah State went on to score eight runs in the top half of the next inning to take an 11-10 lead and scored 12 unanswered runs to take a 15-10 lead before NCCU added a run in the bottom of the seventh inning.
 
Harris and sophomore center fielder Shelby Eccles led SSU at the plate with four hits each.  Harris went 4-for-6 with three runs scored and three RBIs, while Eccles went 4-for-5 with three runs scored.  Junior right fielder Alexis Singleton went 3-for-5 with one run scored and two RBIs, while freshman Cortni Jones and junior catcher Tia Bolden each added two hits.
 
Junior left fielder Chasney Jenkins recorded three runs scored and two RBIs, while junior pitcher Amanda Halllman recorded three RBIs.  On the mound, Hallman pitched the first four innings giving up nine earned runs on nine hits with six strikeouts.  Sophomore Ashley Eichenlaub (4-5) pitched the final three innings giving up one run on four hits with a strikeout.
 
The Lady Tigers scored one run in the top of the first inning to capture a 1-0 lead.  After a pop out to begin the game, Harris doubled through the left side and Singleton walked and Harris stole third on ball four and Singleton advanced to second on the throw.  Senior first baseman Torrian Wright walked to load the bases with one out.  Hallman delivered with an infield single to second base to score Harris, but a foul out to the catcher and a strikeout keep the bases loaded.
 
NCCU went three-up and three-down in the bottom half of the inning, including the first two with strikeouts by Hallman.
 
Savannah State added two runs in the top of the second inning to increase its lead to 3-0.  Senior second baseman Antonette Smith started the inning with a walk, followed by Eccles bunt single to third base to advance Smith to second, but was thrown out at third caught stealing.  Eccles stole second and Jenkins walked to put runners on first and second with one out.
 
Eccles singled to right center to load the bases.  After a strikeout, Wright walked home a run to take a 2-0 lead on four pitches.  Hallman followed up with a four-pitch walk to bring home Jenkins for a 3-0 lead, but a strikeout ended the threat and to leave the bases loaded.
 
The Lady Eagles took their first lead of the series in the bottom of the second inning by scoring four runs to take a 4-3 lead after two innings after an Eagle scoring on a wild pitch and a three-run home run to right field.
 
NCCU scored three more runs in the bottom half of the third inning to take a 6-3 lead after three innings after a solo home run to center field to start the inning and an RBI single up the middle and an error by the catcher to allow a run score. 
 
The Lady Eagles scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a 10-3 lead after four innings after a two-run single and an Eagle scored on a wild pitch.
 
The Lady Tigers left two on base before heading to the bottom of the fifth inning.  The Lady Eagles needed to score only one run to end the game in a run ruled in the bottom of the fifth.  The Lady Tigers changed pitchers as Eichenlaub started the inning on the mound and the first batter reached on base by a throwing error and advanced to second on a failed picked off attempt.  The next batter reached on a fielder's choice as Harris pumped faked the throw to first to get the lead runner for the first out. 
 
The next batter reached on a fielder's choice as the lead runner was thrown out at second and a groundout to second base continued the game to the sixth inning.
 
Savannah State took the lead, 11-10, by scoring eight runs in the sixth inning, including seven runs with two outs.  A fly out to center field started the inning, but a single by Singleton to the shortstop and Wright reached first on an error by the third baseman and advanced the runners up a bag to put runners on second and third with one out.
 
Hallman grounded out to the shortstop to score Singleton and to record the second out of the inning to cut NCCU's lead to 10-4.  Cortni Jones hit an infield single to the shortstop and Tamara Jones, who pinched ran for Wright, advanced to third.  Bolden singled up the middle to score Tamara Jones to cut the lead to 10-5 and to put runners on first and second with two outs.
 
Smith singled through the right side to bring home Cortni Jones and Eccles reached base with an error by the first baseman to score Bolden and advanced to second to put runners on second and third with one out to cut the lead to 10-7.  Jenkins singled home Smith and Eccles to cut the lead to 10-9 and Jenkins advanced to second on a wild pitch.  Harris doubled down the right field line to bring home Jenkins to tie the game at 10.  After a pitching change, Singleton singled to second base to score Harris to give the Lady Tigers an 11-10 lead. Wright walked on four pitches to put runners on first and second, but a strikeout ended the inning.
 
NCCU started the sixth inning with a single to third base, but a foul out to third base and the next batter reached on a fielder's choice to cut the lead runner at second for the second out of the inning.  The runner advanced to second on a wild pitch and the next batter reached on a fielding error by the shortstop to put runners on the corners with two outs.  A great defensive play by Cortni Jones saved at least one run and ended the inning to preserve the one-run lead, 11-10.
 
The Lady Tigers added four runs in the top of the seventh inning to take a 15-10 lead.  After a ground out to the shortstop for the first out of the inning, Bolden hit a solo home run to left center filed on a 3-2 count to increase SSU's lead to 12-10.  Eccles singled to left center on the first pitch and Jenkins walked on four pitches to put runners on first and second with one out.
 
Harris tripled to left field to drive home Eccles and Jenkins to increase the lead to 14-10 and Singleton's RBI single up the middle scored Harris for a 15-10 lead.  After a pitching change, Wright walked on five pitches, but a ground out to the pitcher ended the inning.
 
The Lady Eagles scored a run in the bottom half of the inning to cut the lead to final margin of four runs.  NCCU started the final inning with a single through the right side and advanced to second on a wild pitch.  Eichenlaub recorded a strikeout for the first out of the inning, but a single put runners on the corners.  A groundout back to the pitcher brought home a run and to advance the runner to second with two outs.  A single to the pitcher advanced the runner to third, but a foul out to third base ended the game.
 
The Lady Eagles were led by Jenny Tracy going 3-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI, while Kayleigh Brueck, Aleyah Evans and London Booker each went 2-for-4.  Brueck added a run scored, two RBIs, while Evans added a run scored and Booker added a run scored and three RBIs. 
 
With the Mercer game being rescheduled to a later date, the next game for the Lady Tigers is Florida A&M (17-19, 6-0 MEAC) next weekend starting with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 16 starting at 1 p.m. followed by a solo game on Sunday, April 17 at noon.
 
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