ORANGEBURG, S,C.- After losing the first game of the doubleheader 9-4, Savannah State bounced back to earn a split by winning the second game 6-4. The two-run win over Claflin on Wednesday afternoon at North Road Complex tied a program record for the most wins in a single season with 26.
The record was set by the 2012 squad and matched by the 2013 and 2016 teams.
Amber Hallman, the current SSU head softball coach was a sophomore pitcher on the 2016 team.
The non-conference doubleheader split with the Panthers ends SSU's regular season with a 26-16 record.
Savanah State scored a pair of runs in the top of the first inning in the opener.
Phaedra Smith singled, stole second and scored when
Ambria Guye reached base on an error by the left fielder. Guye was able to score on a pop up by
Jayla Alexander.
Claflin scored a run in the bottom of the inning to cut SSU's lead to 2-1.
The Lady Tigers sent two runners across home plate in the top of the fourth.
Guye led off with a double while Alexander followed with a single to put runners on the corners.
Neveah Ford flied out to the left fielder which allowed Guye to score and Alexander scored when
Madison Starling-Martin reached base due to an error by the third baseman for a 4-1 advantage.
Claflin went ahead 5-4 by scoring four times in the bottom of the fourth.
The Panthers added another run in the fifth and three more in the sixth for a 9-4 victory.
Donnea Allen struck out five batters in the game but not before surrendering nine hits, nine runs and three walks.
At the plate, SSU collected just four hits with Smith hitting two singles, Guye hitting a double and Alexander hitting a single. Guye scored twice and Smith stole a base.
Savannah State only had three hits in the second game but they were able to push six runs across home plate.
Claflin took a 1-0 lead in the first inning but the Lady Tigers answered with two runs in the top of the second.
Alexander reached base on an error by the first baseman, advanced to second and stole third. After
Carissa Ball struck out, Alexander came home when Starling-Martin reached base on an error by the third baseman. An error by the first baseman allowed
Ariana Battle to reach base and Starling-Martin to score for a 2-1 lead.
SSU went ahead 3-1 in the top of the third when Ford drew a walk, stole second and third and scored on a strikeout by Smith.
In the top of the fifth, Ford drew a walk and preceded to steal second, third and home. Two batters later, Guye reached base on an error by the center fielder and scored on a double by
Shamiya Raines to increase their lead to 5-1.
The Panthers scored a run in the bottom of the fifth but Savannah State responded with a run in the top of the sixth when
Jayla Givens hit a triple and scored on a groundout by
Milani Dunning.
In the bottom half of the sixth, Claflin scored the final two runs of the game to make the score 6-4.
Ford stole five bases and crossed home plate twice while Givens added a triple, Raines hit a double and Alexander chipped in a single.
Aaliyah Martin surrendered eight hits, four runs and two walks but recorded two strikeouts.
Savannah State enters the SIAC Tournament in Columbus, Georgia with a 15-9 conference record and is the #3 seed in the SIAC East. The Lady Tigers will play Spring Hill, the #2 seed in the SIAC West on April 27 at 12:30 p.m.
During the regular season, SSU lost to the Badgers 10-2 on March 10 in a SIAC Crossover game in Gardendale, Alabama.
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