ORANGEBURG, S.C.- Savannah State scored five runs in the top of the 10th inning to defeat Claflin 12-7 in a game played at Historic Mirmow Field on March 5, 2024.
 
In the tenth inning, Jason Miller hit a single and Addrian McNeal Jr was hit by a pitch. D'Sean Prinkleton reached on a fielder's choice and an error by the short stop allowed Miller to score. A Kendal Spencer single to center field brought home McNeal and when Hunter Bradshaw reached base because of an error by the short stop, Prinkleton scored a run. Chandler Hicks was up next and drove in Spencer and Bradshaw with a single to left field.
 
In the bottom half of the inning, the first two Claflin batters popped up for outs one and two. Jemel Scarborourgh drew a walk and Micah Shivers reached on a fielder's choice but Scarborough was out at second for the final out of the contest.
 
The non-conference win gives the Tigers a 12-2 record.
 
Savannah State used five pitchers in the game. Luis De La Cruz started the game and struck out two in his two innings but also gave up three runs. Gerald Toledo III pitched 1.1 inning and had one strikeout while surrendering two runs, Jadon Oden pitched one inning and struck out two, Gregory Gonzalez Jr struck out 10 and gave up two runs in his 4.2 innings and Brayden Thomas pitched the final inning.
 
Gonzalez earned the win while Thomas got the save for the Tigers.
 
Claflin scored in the first inning to take a 2-0 lead but SSU pushed five runs across home plate in the second inning with Hicks, Brevin Smith, Jacob Rushin, McNeal and Prinkleton scoring runs for a 5-2 advantage.
 
The Panthers answered with one run in the bottom of the second to make the score 5-3.
 
Bradshaw led off the third inning with a double to left field, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a passed ball to give SSU a 6-3 lead.
 
Claflin cut their deficit to 6-5 by scoring twice in the bottom of the fourth.
 
Smith hit a solo homerun in the top of the sixth inning for SSU and the Panthers scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the inning to make the score 7-6.
 
Claflin (1-17) added another run in the bottom of the ninth to send the game into extra innings.
 
SSU left 10 runners on base while getting 14 hits and the Panthers left 11 runners on base and had just six hits.
 
Hicks had three hits and two RBI for the Tigers. McNeal, Prinkleton, Bradshaw and Smith all had two hits and scored twice for Savannah State. Miller also had a pair of hits.
 
Kobe Miller had two RBI for the Panthers and Jalen Dockett was the losing pitcher, giving up six runs in six innings.
 
Savannah State will return to SIAC action on March 9 with a three-game series with Clark Atlanta.