SAVANNAH, Ga.- Savannah State wrapped up their season-opening series with Bluefield State with a double-header sweep on February 4, 2024 with scores of 5-2 and 9-8.
 
In the first game, Big Blue, as Bluefield State is known, scored a run in the top of the third inning for a 1-0 lead.
 
Savannah State responded in the bottom half of the inning with a pair of runs as Kendal Spencer scored on a wild pitch and Farah Castillo scored on a sacrifice fly by Brevin Smith.                                                                                                                       
                                                     
Jacob Rushin led off the bottom of the fourth with a triple and later scored on a wild pitch to increase the SSU lead to 3-1.
 
Chris Larkin hit a solo home run for BSU in the top of the fifth inning but in the bottom of the fifth Chandler Hicks hit a double and advanced to third on a ground-out by William Mahoney. Following a  walk to Jan'i Belcher, Addrian McNeal singled to drive home Hicks. After a walk to D'Sean Prinkleton loaded the bases, Spencer was hit by a pitch which allowed  Belcher to cross home plate to make the score 5-2.
 
The Tigers left 11 runners on base as they collected ten hits in the game.
 
Hicks hit a pair of doubles for SSU. Mahoney also hit a double and Rushin added a triple and two singles. Andrew Mann went seven inning on the mound and struck out four batters and didn't issue any walks.
 
Larkin had a home run for Bluefield State while Kerry Collins took the loss on the mound.
 
In the second game, BSU jumped on the Tigers with four runs in the top of the first inning.
 
Hakem Smith singled in the bottom of the inning and advanced to third on a single by Spencer. The next batter, Hunter Bradshaw singled to center field which allowed Smith to score.
 
Bluefield State increased their lead to 5-1 in the top of the second but SSU answered in their turn at bat with three runs as Desmore Joseph singled and scored on a fielder's choice by McNeal, Mahoney walked and scored on a fielder's choice by Prinkleton and Prinkleton scored on a triple by Hakem Smith to cut BSU's lead to 5-4.
 
The visitors from West Virginia sent three runners across home plate in the top of the fourth to extend their lead to 8-4.
 
Savannah State (3-0) scored twice in the fourth and fifth innings to tie the game.
 
Mahoney and McNeal singled in the fourth and scored on a double by Prinkleton. In the fifth, Rushin singled and scored on a single by McNeal and McNeal later scored on a wild pitch.
 
With no scoring in the sixth and seventh innings, the teams went into a extra frame.
 
After SSU held Bluefiled State scoreless in the top of the eighth, Prinkleton led off the bottom half of the inning with a solo home run over the right field fence for the game winner and a 9-8 victory.
 
Prinkleton led the Tigers with a double and a home run to go along with his four RBI and two runs scored. Mcneal and Mahoney also had two hits and scored twice.
 
Relief pitcher Adonis Perez was the game winner. Perez pitched 2.2 innings and gave up one hit and no runs while recording one strikeout.
 
Korbin Bostic and two hits and two RBI for Bluefield State (0-3) while Alex Kanipe was tagged with the loss after giving up four hits, three runs and one walk in his four innings on the mound.