COLUMBIA, S.C.- Led by a strong pitching effort and timely batting at the plate, Savannah State completed their three-game sweep of Allen on Saturday afternoon with a 15-1 win at MLK Park.

The win improved SSU to 20-12 overall and 11-7 in the SIAC. It's the Lady Tigers first 20-win season since 2016 when they won 26 games while playing in Division I.

In the win over Allen, Donnea Allen and Madison Starling-Martin combined to hold the Yellow Jackets to just three hits while recording seven strikeouts.

Allen pitched three hitless innings while giving up one run and two walks while Starling-Martin pitched two innings and gave up three hits but did not allow any runs or walks. Allen struck out five batters and Starling-Martin struck out two.

At the plate, the Lady Tigers scored 15 runs off a dozen hits. Jayla Givens hit a two-run home run while Kaitlyn Williams and Miliani Dunning both had two doubles.

SSU got off to a quick start, scoring four times in the first inning.

Ansley Hudson walked and Neveah Ford reached base on an error and both scored on a double to left field by Williams. A single to center field by Givens moved Williams to third and a sacrifice fly by Ariana Battle brought home Williams. A single by Shamiya Raines allowed Williams to cross home plate.

Allen scored their only run in the bottom of the first inning.

Savannah State went ahead 10-1 after scoring six times in the second inning off four hits.

Dunning led off with a double to center field, went to third when Hudson flied out and scored when Forced reached base on an error by the second baseman. Ford scored on a double to left field by Williams. Walks to Battle and Raines loaded the bases for Starling-Martin who hit a single to left field that sent home Williams and Battle and a double to center field by Dunning scored Raines and Starling-Martin.

The SSU bats were quiet in the third and fourth innings but came back alive in the fifth, collecting five runs on four hits as Williams hit a two-run single, Givens hit a two-run home run over the center field fence and Starling-Martin hit a RBI double.

Williams finished the game going 4-for-4 at the plate with five RBI while scoring three runs. Givens had two hits, two RBI and scored twice, Starling-Martin had two hits and three RBI, Dunning had two hits and two RBI and Ford scored twice.

Winners of five of their last six games, SSU will step out of conference and will travel to Augusta, Georgia on April 8to face former SIAC rival Paine in a doubleheader at Lions Field.

Stay Connected
For complete coverage of Savannah State University Athletics, follow the Tigers on social media @SavStateTigers on Facebook, Instagram, and X (Formerly Known As Twitter), or visit the official online home of SSU Athletics at http://ssuathletics.com.