GREENSBORO, N.C. – For the first time since joining the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in the fall of 2010, the Savannah State University softball team fails to make the MEAC Championship after being swept in a doubleheader Saturday to North Carolina A&T State University (14-26-1, 6-6 MEAC) 4-3 in game one and 11-3 in six innings in game two at the Aggie Softball Complex.
 
Senior left fielder, sophomore third baseman Cortni Jones and junior designated player Shelby Eccles each batted .400 (2-for-5), while Jenkins scored once and recorded an RBI, Jones scored once and Eccles scored twice.
 
North Carolina A&T 4, Savannah State 3 (Game One)
Senior pitcher Amanda McDowell recorded all three RBIs, while McDowell, center fielder Brianna Harris, sophomore first baseman Elizabeth Humes, Jenkins and Eccles each recorded a hit, while McDowell (1-16) picked up the loss pitching a complete game giving up two earned runs on six hits with six strikeouts.
 
The Aggies broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the second inning after an RBI bunt single to third base to take a 1-0 lead and scored another run in the third inning after an Aggie was thrown out at second to allow a run to score to take a 2-0 lead. 
 
NCAT scored two runs in the fourth inning to take a 4-0 lead after an Aggie scored on a wild pitch that allowed another run to score after the ball was ruled to go into the dugout. 
 
Savannah State amounted a comeback in the seventh inning by scoring three runs to cut the final deficit to a run.  After back-to-back outs to begin the inning, Jones started the rally with a hit-by-pitch, followed by Jenkins singled to left field and Eccles singled to center field to load the bases for McDowell.
 
On the first pitch of the at bat, McDowell double to left center clearing the bases and cutting the lead to 4-3.  After a pitching change, freshman second baseman Alysha Bolling walked on four pitches, while Singleton singled to center fielder, but pinch runner Ashleigh Dennis was thrown out at home.
 
However, the last play didn't count as the Aggies didn't insert the pitcher correctly.  The second time around, Singleton reached on a fielder's choice loading the bases, but a strikeout ended the game. 
 
 
The Aggies were led by Kimberly Brunson going 2-for-3 with a run score, while A Simmons recorded the only RBI.  On the mound, Mohagony Headen (6-14) picked up the win pitching the first 6.2 innings giving up three runs on five hits and Zadaisha Waddell picked up her first save of the season pitching the last 0.1 innings giving up one walk. 
 
North Carolina A&T State 11, Savannah State 3 (6) (Game Two)
Jones went 2-for-3, while Eccles, Harris and Humes each recorded a hit and a run scored, while Jenkins, Harris and sophomore pitcher Faith Dickerson each recorded an RBI.  Dickerson (0-15) picked up the loss pitching the first five innings giving up six earned runs.
 
Savannah State broke the scoreless tie in the top of the first inning by scoring two runs to take a 2-0 lead.  After a groundout, Eccles reached on a fielding error and Harris doubled to left field to drive home Eccles for a 1-0 lead.  After a groundout for the second out, Jones singled to left field and advanced to second on the throw to home to put runners on second and third.  Jenkins singled to third base driving home Harris for a 2-0 lead, but a groundout to the pitcher ended the inning.
 
The Aggies responded with a run in the bottom half of the inning to cut the SSU lead to 2-1 after the first inning after an RBI single to center field and took a lead in the second inning after scoring two runs in the second inning for a 3-2 lead after an error allowing an Aggie to score and an RBI single.
 
But the Lady Tigers tied the game with a run in the third inning at three after Dickerson reached on a fielder's choice with the bases loaded to drive home Humes. 
 
NCAT took the lead in the fifth inning after Headen hit a two-run home run down the left field line for a 5-3 lead and scored the final six runs in the sixth inning to end the game after a two-run double, an RBI triple and a walkoff three-run home run by Headen. 
 
The Aggies were led by Zadia Davis going 4-for-4 with two runs scored, while Headen went 2-for-3 with three runs scored and five RBIs.  Waddell (8-12) picked up the win in a complete game giving up one earned run on seven hits. 
 
The Lady Tigers travel to Statesboro, Ga., Wednesday to face Georgia Southern University for a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m. in the final road trip and nonconference battle of the season.
 
N.C. A&T 4, Savannah State 3 (Apr 22, 2017 at Greensboro, N.C.) (Game 1)
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Savannah State...... 000 000 3 -  3  5  1      (1-32, 1-10 MEAC)
N.C. A&T............ 011 200 X -  4  6  0      (13-26-1, 5-6 MEAC)
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Pitchers: Savannah State - MCDOWELL,AMANDA and CYRUS,Kelsey. N.C. A&T - HEADEN,M.; WADDELL,Z.(7)
and PACHECO,N..
Win-HEADEN,M.(6-14)  Save-WADDELL,Z.(1)  Loss-MCDOWELL,AMANDA(1-16)  T-2:12  A-28
Weather: 71, partly cloudy
 
N.C. A&T 11, Savannah State 3 (Apr 22, 2017 at Greensboro, N.C.) (Game 2)
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Savannah State...... 201 000  -  3  7  2      (1-33, 1-11 MEAC)
N.C. A&T............ 120 026  - 11 15  1      (14-26-1, 6-6 MEAC)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Savannah State - DICKERSON,Faith; MCDOWELL,AMANDA(6) and CYRUS,Kelsey. N.C. A&T -
WADDELL,Z. and PACHECO,N..
Win-WADDELL,Z.(8-12)  Loss-DICKERSON,Faith(0-4)  T-1:48  A-57
HR NCATSB - HEADEN,M. 2.
Weather: 73, partly cloudy
DICKERSON,F faced 4 batters in the 6th.

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