SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Savannah State University softball team (8-18, 3-4 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) fell to Florida A&M University (17-23, 9-1 MEAC) 7-4 in 10 innings in the series opener at Lady Tiger Softball Field.
 
Neither team could score a run through the first five innings until FAMU scored a run in the top of the sixth inning, but the Lady Tigers bounced back to score three runs in the bottom half of the inning.  However, the Rattlers scored two runs in the top of the seventh inning to tie the game at three forcing extra innings.  As the first two innings went scoreless in extras, FAMU scored four runs in the top of the 10^th inning to take a 7-3 lead and Savannah State scored one run in the bottom of the inning.
 
Senior center fielder Brianna Harris went 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI, while junior first baseman Elizabeth Humes went 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored.  On the mound, senior pitcher Amanda Hallman (5-9) picked up the loss, pitching a complete game giving up seven runs, six earned, on 10 hits with 10 strikeouts.
 
Neither team could push a runner across home plate in the first five innings as the teams combined for seven hits during those innings, five from FAMU and two from SSU.
 
But the Rattlers got on the board first in the top of the sixth inning after a leadoff home run to center field for a 1-0 lead, but the Lady Tigers bounced back with three runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a 3-1 lead after six innings.
 
After a fly out to center field to start the bottom of the sixth, Harris walked and stole second.  Junior third baseman Cortni Jones walked and after a pop out to the second baseman for the second out, Humes nearly hit a home run and hit the fence for a two-run double to score Harris and Jones for a 2-1 lead.  Sophomore left fielder Shayna Byers doubled to center field to drive home Humes for the 3-1 lead, but a groundout to third base ended the inning.
 
The Rattlers weren't done in the top of the seventh inning as FAMU scored two runs, a two-run home run to left field with no outs and was followed by a double to center field, representing the winning run, but Hallman recorded three consecutive strikeouts to end the inning and to send it to the bottom half of the inning.
 
The Lady Tigers went 1-2-3 in the bottom half of the inning to send the game into extras and both teams went scoreless in the eighth and ninth combining for two hits, one each during those two extra innings.
 
Then started the 10^th inning and by rule, placed a runner on second with no outs.  FAMU scored four runs in the top half of the inning after two RBI bunt singles, a foul out to score a run and an RBI double.
 
The Lady Tigers tried to amount a comeback in the bottom half of the inning, but could only score a run in the inning after Harris hit a single to center field to score junior second baseman Allye Sneed, who was placed on second to begin the inning.
 
The Rattlers were led by Tyra Bowers going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI, while Jamesia Stoudemire went 3-for-6 with a run scored and two RBIs.  On the mound, Kyaira Brown (12-9) picked up the win, pitching a complete game giving up four runs, three earned on six hits.
 
The Lady Tigers finish the series Saturday with a doubleheader Saturday starting at 1 p.m. at Lady Tiger Softball Field.

Florida A&M 7, Savannah State 4 (Apr 13, 2018 at Savannah, Ga.)
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Florida A&M......... 000 001 200 4 -  7 14  1      (17-23, 9-1)
Savannah State...... 000 003 000 1 -  4  6  0      (8-18, 3-4)
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Pitchers: Florida A&M - BROWN,Kyaira and BLASINGANE,A. Savannah State - HALLMAN, Amanda and
CYRUS, Kelsey.
Win-BROWN,Kyaira(12-9)  Loss-HALLMAN, Amanda(5-9)  T-3:05  A-46
HR FAMUS - STOUDEMIRE,J (2); DAY,Alexis (2).
Weather: 78, sunny, wind: SE@17 mph
 
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