SAVANNAH, Ga.- Hector Benitez and Turner Davis drove in three runs apiece as Savannah State pounded Alabama A&M 17-1 in a game played at Tiger Field.

Leading 9-0, SSU exploded for eight runs in the eighth inning.

The Tigers finished the day with 15 hits but stranded nine base-runners.

Jacob Lightle and Davis had RBI singles for Savannah State in the bottom of the third inning while in the fourth, Benitez hit a two-run single and Lightle stole home for a 5-0 lead.

Davis led off the fifth with a single to left field and scored on a home run by Jorge Lopez.

Benitez hit a RBI triple in the sixth a scored on a ground-out by Kyle Gerdts to make the score 9-0.

SSU left the bases loaded in the seventh but could not push any runs across home plate.

The Tigers left the bases juiced in the eighth but were able to score eight times off of four hits..

Jakeel Daniels was hit by a pitch and advanced to third on a double by Gerdts. Daniels and Gerdts scored on a single by Davis.

After Mason Calloway flied out, Bryce Luken singled and a double by Daryl Harper brought home Davis. 

The next batter, Marcus Mitchell drew a walk and Jalen Atterbury was hit by a pitch which sent home Luken. Harper scored when Lightle reached on an error.

Once again, Daniels was hit by a pitch and a sacrifice fly by Gerdts allowed Atterbury to cross home plate. A balk by the A&M pitcher allowed Lightle to score the final run on the day for the Tigers.

The Bulldogs scored their lone run in the top of the ninth.

Lightle scored four times for Savannah State (6-2) while Atterbury scored three times and Davis and Mitchell crossed home plate two times each.

Alec Kliphouse lasted six innings on the mound for SSU and struck out six batters while giving up four hits and no runs.

Fernando Diaz and Carson McGregory each had two hits for A&M (3-6).

Dalton Mitchell was tagged with the loss, giving up seven hits and seven runs in five innings of work.