ORANGEBURG, S.C. – The Savannah State University softball team (14-20, 8-7 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) clinched the No. 3 seed in the MEAC Tournament after defeating South Carolina State University 8-0 in five innings to win the three game series. 
 
The Lady Tigers tied for third place in the southern division with North Carolina Central University with an 8-7 conference record, but Savannah State holds the tiebreaker over the Eagles after winning the series against NCCU 2-1 at the end of March.
 
Junior third baseman Cortni Jones went 3-for-3 with a run scored and two RBIs, while junior first baseman Elizabeth Humes went 2-for-3 with an RBI.  On the mound, freshman pitcher pitched a complete game giving up one hit.
 
Savannah State scored the first run of the game in the top of the first inning after senior center fielder Brianna Harris grounded out to shortstop to drive home Eccles, who started the game with a double up the middle for a 1-0 lead.
 
The Lady Tigers added another run in the third inning after Jones tripled to right field to drive home Harris, who reached on from an error for a 2-0 lead and added three runs in the fourth and in the fifth for the eight run win.
 
After a pop out to start the fourth inning, Eccles walked and stole second and advanced to third after a groundout for the second out of the inning.  Harris reached on a fielder's choice that allowed Eccles to score for a 3-0 lead and stole second.  Then Jones doubled to left field to drive home Harris for a 4-0 lead and Humes singled to right field to drive home Jones for a 5-0 lead, but was thrown out trying to stretch it to second base.
 
Senior designated player Amanda Hallman started the fifth inning with a walk and sophomore left fielder Shayna Byers singled to right center and junior catcher Kelsey Cyrus walked to load the bases with no outs.  Senior shortstop Drea Lesure hit a sacrifice fly to center field to drive home Hallman to take a 6-0 lead.  A groundout to the second baseman advanced the runners to second and third and Byers scored on a passed ball for a 7-0 lead.  Freshman second baseman Kameryn Baker singled to center field to drive home Cyrus for an 8-0 lead, but a fly out ended the inning. 
 
The only hit for the Bulldogs came in the bottom of the first inning from Jada Richardson and Dezirae Rhodes recorded a walk.  On the mound, Jada Lake pitched a complete game giving up five earned runs on eight hits with four walks. 
The Lady Tigers start the MEAC Championship from May 9-12 in Ormond Beach, Fla.
 
Savannah State 8, South Carolina State 0 (Apr 29, 2018 at Orangeburg, SC)
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Savannah State...... 101 33 -  8  8  1      (13-21, 10-10)
South Carolina State 000 00 -  0  1  2      (2-31, 2-13)
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Pitchers: Savannah State - WILLIAMS, Tanisha and CYRUS, Kelsey. South Carolina State - Lake,Jada
and Rhodes,Dezirae; Cloud,Delexi.
Win-WILLIAMS, Tanisha  Loss-Lake,Jada  T-1:27  A-56
 
 
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