SAVANNAH, Ga.- A week after being swept on the road, Savannah State returned home and made a strong statement with a doubleheader sweep of Miles on Saturday afternoon at Tiger Field.
The Tigers won the first game 26-2 and completed the sweep with a 15-0 shutout in the second game.
Savannah State ended the day with 41 runs on 39 hits while the Tiger pitchers held Miles to just seven hits and two runs.
In the first game, SSU pounded out 21 hits but left 13 runners on base.
A sacrifice fly by
Tyler Tucker allowed the first run to score and a two-run single by
Kijani Clarington gave Savannah State a 3-0 lead in the first inning.
A RBI single by
Jason Ramos put SSU ahead 4-0 in the second while Miles scored both of their runs in the top of the third to cut Savannah State's lead to 4-2.
Chandler Hicks' two run single in the bottom of the third increased the Tigers advantage to 6-2.
Savannah State broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth with 14 runs off nine hits, while leaving the bases loaded.
Kidane Stephens hit a double to right field and scored on a single by Tucker. Clarington was hit by a pitch and
Gavin Jusino drew a walk to load the bases for Hicks whose single allowed Tucker to score. Clarington scored on a wild pitch and a walk to Ramos loaded the bases for
Jayden Clark who hit a double to right field that scored Jusino and Hicks.
Seth Stargell was issued a walk to re-load the bases for
Johan Sandoval who also drew a walk which allowed Ramos to score. Stephens hit a double to left center that brought home Clark and Stargell and a single to left field by Tucker allowed Sandoval to score a run. Clarington was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Jusino, who was also hit by a pitch, which allowed Stephens to come home. Hicks hit a double to left field that scored Tucker and Clarington while back-to-back singles by Clark and Stargell sent home Jusino and Hicks for a commanding 20-2 lead.
Savanah State added six more runs in the game, scoring three in the fifth and three in the sixth.
In the fifth, Jusino and Hicks hit RBI singles and when Clark reached on a fielder's choice, it allowed Jusino to score.
Gabe Breckenridge hit a two-run double to right center in the sixth and a sacrifice fly by Hicks allowed Breckenridge to score the final run of the contest.
Hicks went 5-for-5 at the plate with seven RBI while scoring three times. Stephens hit a pair of doubles while Clark, Tucker and Breckenridge all hit doubles.
Austin McCormack pitched seven innings and struck out six while holding the Bears to three hits and two runs.
Savannah State left 11 runners on base in the second game, but the outcome was much like the first contest.
Salvatore Urso controlled the game from the mound, limiting Miles to four hits while recording three strikeouts.
A two-run single by Sandoval gave SSU a 2-0 advantage in the first inning and a nine-run third inning broke open the contest for a 11-0 cushion.
In the third inning, Sandoval hit a two-run double, Tucker hit a two-run single, Hicks hit a bases clearing triple and Ramos and Sandoval followed with RBI singles.
Tucker hit a RBI single in the fifth and when Ramos was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, it allowed Noah Rodríguez to score.
In the bottom of the sixth, Rodriguez and
Bryce Bause both had RBI singles to close out the scoring on the day.
Sandoval went 4-for-4 and had five RBI while scoring three times while Tucker and Hicks drove in three runs apiece.
The wins give SSU a 15-14 overall and 12-8 conference record.
Savannah State will wrap up their series with Miles on Sunday with the first pitch being thrown at 12 noon.
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