CARY, N.C. – The Savannah State University softball team (8-15, 3-3 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) split the doubleheader against North Carolina Central University (7-17, 1-5 MEAC) to win the three game series Saturday at the Thomas Brooks Park.
 
The Lady Tigers fell to NCCU 8-0 in six innings in the first game to tie the series, but the Lady Tigers bounced back with a 4-3 run to win the series. 
 
Junior third baseman Cortni Jones and junior first baseman Elizabeth Humes each batted .600 (3-for-5), while Jones scored twice and recorded an RBI, while Humes scored once and recorded an RBI. 
 
North Carolina Central 8, Savannah State 0 (6)
Humes led the team going 2-for-2, while Jones and senior center fielder Brianna Harris each recorded a hit, while on the mound, senior pitcher Amanda Hallman (5-8) picked up the loss pitching the first five innings, giving up four earned runs on 10 hits with four strikeouts.
 
North Carolina Central led off the bottom of the first inning with a home run to right center to take a 1-0 lead after the first inning and added three runs in the fifth inning to take a 4-0 lead after a two-run single and an RBI single.
 
NCCU scored the final four runs of the game in the sixth inning for the eight run win after two two-run singles.
 
The Eagles were led by Ava Dolan, Kaitlyn Macon, Aleyah Evans and Jacobia Johnson each recorded two hits, while Dolan added three RBIs and Macon and Evans each recorded two RBIs.  On the mound, Courtney Mirabella (6-10) picked up the win in a complete shutout win scattering four hits and recorded eight strikeouts.
 
Savannah State 4, North Carolina Central 3
Jones led the team going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI, while Humes went 1-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI.  On the mound, freshman pitcher Tanisha Williams (2-1) picked up the win in a complete game giving up two earned runs on 11 hits. 
 
Savannah State got things going in the top of the first inning with a run to give the Lady Tigers a 1-0 lead after Jones singled to left field to drive home senior right fielder Shelby Eccles for the first run of the game.
 
The Lady Tigers added another in the third to take a 2-0 lead after Humes tripled to left center to drive home Jones.
 
Savannah State added two runs in the top of the sixth inning to take a 4-0 lead.  Jones started the inning with a single up the middle, while Humes walked and Hallman hit a bunt single to load the bases with no outs.
 
After a strikeout, sophomore pinch hitter Shayna Byers singled down the right field line to drive home Jones and Humes scored on a fielding error by the right fielder for a 4-0 lead.  Byers stole second and Sneed reached on a fielding error by the pitcher to load the bases with one out, but back-to-back strikeouts ended the SSU threat.
 
North Carolina Central scored a run in the bottom half of the inning after a solo home run to left field and scored two runs in the seventh inning after an RBI single and an error to cut the lead to 4-3, but a groundout with runners on the corners and two outs ended the game.
 
The Eagles were led by Dolan, Kelsey Locklear, Jessica Powell, Dalika Wallace, Aiyana Campbell each recorded two hits, while Campbell added two RBIs.  On the mound, Mirabella (6-11) picked up the loss pitching a complete game giving up three earned runs on seven hits with eight strikeouts and pitched every inning of the series for the Eagles.
 
The Lady Tigers start a seven-game homestand starting with a single game Wednesday against Charleston Southern University at 4 p.m.
 
MD. Eastern Shore 7, Savannah State 5 (Mar 21, 2018 at Savannah, Ga.) (Game 1)
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MD. Eastern Shore... 401 002 0 -  7  9  0      (1-16)
Savannah State...... 003 002 0 -  5  4  2      (4-12)
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Pitchers: MD. Eastern Shore - GOODMAN,Nasya and WHALEY,Sara Jo. Savannah State -
DICKERSON, Faith; DECKLE, Hannah(7) and CYRUS, Kelsey.
Win-GOODMAN,Nasya(1-6)  Loss-DICKERSON, Faith(0-6)  T-2:19  A-38
HR SSUSB - BYERS, Shayna (1).
Weather: 59, sunny, wind: WNW@24 mph
 
Savannah State 8, MD. Eastern Shore 0 (Mar 21, 2018 at Savannah, Ga.) (Game 2)
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MD. Eastern Shore... 000 00 -  0  4  1      (1-17)
Savannah State...... 150 2X -  8 12  1      (5-12)
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Pitchers: MD. Eastern Shore - GINGRICH,LeAnn and WHALEY,Sara Jo. Savannah State -
WILLIAMS, Tanisha and CYRUS, Kelsey.
Win-WILLIAMS, Tanisha(1-0)  Loss-GINGRICH,LeAnn(0-9)  T-1:21  A-42
HR SSUSB - JONES, Cortni (3).
Weather: 62, party cloud, wind: W@27mph
 
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