SSU Splits In Day Two Of Florida Tournament

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - In the second day of the University of Florida Softball Tournament, Savannah State split their two games. SSU beat the University of North Carolina Wilmington 13-10 in the nightcap. In their first game, the Lady Tigers dropped a rematch with Florida, 0-14.

The Lady Tigers are 1-3 in the tournament after two days. They conclude the tournament on Sunday against Western Carolina. SSU is 4-4 on the season.

Big First Inning

The Lady Tigers scored eight runs in the bottom of the first inning behind seven hits, propelling SSU to a 13-10 victory, after UNC Wilmington put one run on the top of the frame.

SSU's Torrian Wright scored Imani Gayle on a single through the left side after Gayle reached on a single. Amber Hallman scored Katherine Stewart on a single. Madison Hedderly doubled to right center, scoring Wright and Hallman.

Hedderly went 4-for-4 at the plate with two doubles and four RBI, leading the Lady Tigers. Gayle was 3-for-4 at the plate, while Stewart, Hallman and Wright all added two hits apiece for SSU.

UNC Wilmington added another run in the top of the second, but SSU responded with two more runs in the bottom of the frame behind a double from Hallman and an RBI single from Hedderly.

The Seahawks cut into the Lady Tigers lead in the top of the third and fourth innings. Lauryn Buckworth doubled to reach and then was scored on a double from CJ Moose. Taylor Matkins singled, scoring Moose. Jordin Phillips was scored on a single from Camry Wagner after reaching on a fielding error.

In the top of the fourth, UNC Wilmington added four more runs behind three hits and two costly SSU errors. SSU scored two on two hits in the bottom of the frame to maintain a 12-9 lead into the fifth.

In the fifth, UNC Wilmington added one run on one hit to get within two of SSU's lead. In the bottom of the fifth, Hedderly doubled down the left field line to score Ariona Hagood who was pinch running for Wright. Wright singled to open the frame.

SSU held the Seahawks to one hit in the top of the seventh to walk away with the three point win. The teams combined for 27 hits with SSU hitting 14.

Hedderly was tagged with the pitching win after a complete game in the circle. She allowed 10 runs (6 earned) on 13 hits with no strikeouts and two walks against 39 batters.

Blanked Again

In a rematch with the Gators, the Lady Tigers were looking to appease a 0-12 loss in the first day, but Florida's pitching prowess and work at the plate ended the game early in the fifth inning with a 14-0 win.

The Gators put up eight runs in the first inning behind four hits and an SSU error. Savannah State looked to get some runs in the top of the second after Wright singled to right field, but three straight strikeouts from Alyssa Bache quelled their hopes.

Bache was tagged with the pitching win for the Gators after 5.0 innings in the circle. She allowed no runs on two hits. Bache sat nine SSU batters with strikeouts and walked none.

Florida absconded in the bottom of the third with six more runs on four hits. Aubree Munro tripled to left field scoring Kathlyn Medina and Jessica Damico. Ensley Gammel homered to left field scoring Lauren Haeger and Kelsey Horton for the final runs of the game.

Amanda McDowell was tagged with the pitching loss for the Lady Tigers. McDowell ended 4.0 innings with 14 runs (12 earned) on 8 hits. She had two strikeouts and seven walks against 30 batters.

SSU Ends Florida Tournament With Walk-Off

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -Savannah State closed out the 2013 University of Florida Tournament with a 2-1 walk-off win against Western Carolina, Sunday morning.

Knotted up at one into the bottom of the seventh inning, SSU senior Madison Hedderly reached on a single to center field. With two outs on the board, and runners in scoring position, freshman Antonette Smith doubled down the left field line, platting Hedderly for the walk-off double.

Western Carolina opened the scoring in the top of the first. Taylor Sigmon flied out to right field, scoring Amelia Griffin who walked.

Teams went scoreless through the middle innings as a pitching duel ensued. In the bottom of the fifth, SSU tied the game up. Ariona Hagood scored on a single from newcomer Rachel White.

Hedderly garnered the pitching win after the duel, with a complete game on the mound. She allowed one earned run on six hits. Hedderly sat four batters with strikeouts and walked two.

Jordan Garrett was tagged with the loss after 6.1 innings in the circle. Garrett allowed two earned runs on five hits. She ended the match with a career-high 14 strikeouts and one walk.

The Lady Tigers finished the tournament in Gainesville, Florida with a 2-3 mark. They improve to 5-4 for the season.

For the complete story, visit www.ssuathletics.com

Hampton Gets First Win Of Season In Lobo Classic

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -Hampton picked up its first win of the season at the University of New Mexico Lobo Classic, which was held Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the Lobo Softball Field.

The Lady Pirates (1-8) beat the host Lobos 7-2 on Saturday morning. Hampton fell 6-1 to Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne on Friday, before ending the day with an 11-3 loss to New Mexico. The Lady Pirates also fell 8-6 to Central Michigan on Saturday, before falling 15-4 to Bradley on Sunday.

New Mexico struck first in the bottom of the first inning on Saturday morning, but the Lady Pirates tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the second on an RBI single from senior Shine Huwe (Green Bay, Wisc.). Hampton added three more runs in the third inning, thanks to a two-run double from freshman Bobbi Langlois (Medina, Ohio) and an RBI double from senior Adrianna Scott (Laurel, Md.).

Hampton led 4-1 after three innings, and the Lady Pirates added another run in the fourth inning on an RBI single from Langlois. New Mexico scored a run in the bottom of the fifth to cut Hampton's lead to 5-2.

Sophomores Kerissa Burruel and Bianca Vallejo each had RBI singles in the seventh inning to give the Lady Pirates a 7-2 lead and the win after the Lobos stranded a runner in the bottom of the frame.

Burruel and Langlois each had two hits for the Lady Pirates, and Langlois drove in a team-high three runs. Sophomore Jailynn Jackson (Virginia Beach, Va.) picked up her first win of the season on the mound, striking out seven in 5.1 innings of work.

Langlois also threw 1.2 innings in relief without giving up a hit.

Saturday afternoon saw Central Michigan jump out to a 5-0 lead after the first inning, before adding two more runs at the top of the fourth inning to take a 7-0 lead. Hampton fought back in the bottom of the frame, pushing across six runs.

Huwe started the scoring with an RBI double to right-center field, before two more runs scored when junior Margaret Wilkins (Tustin, Calif.) reached on a fielding error. Langlois then came up with the bases loaded, clearing the bases with a three-run double to right-center.

Central Michigan added a run in the sixth to take an 8-6 lead.

Wilkins and freshman Taylor McCoy (Riverview, Fla.) each had two hits against Central Michigan, and Langlois again drove in a team-high three runs.

Burruel singled home a run in the second inning on Friday morning to tie the Lady Pirates at 1-1 with IPFW, before the Mastodons scored a run each in the fourth and fifth innings to take a 3-1 lead.

IPFW then added three runs in the seventh.

Jackson threw all seven innings against IPFW, striking out five hitters.

In Friday afternoon's contest against New Mexico, the Lady Pirates lead 2-1 in the second inning after Burruel scored on a wild pitch and Langlois had an RBI single up the middle. But the Lobos scored seven runs in the bottom of the fifth to take an 8-2 lead.

Another Langlois RBI single in the sixth to cut the lead to 8-3, but New Mexico scored three times in the bottom of the inning to end the contest.

Langlois had three hits in that game, driving in two runs. She also struck out six in 5.1 innings of work.

Bradley led 8-0 after two and a half innings on Sunday, before the Lady Pirates struck in the bottom of the third on a Langlois RBI single. The Lady Pirates scored twice in the bottom of the fourth, including an RBI single from Wilkins, to cut the lead to 8-3, before Bradley added seven runs in the fifth.

Scott added an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth.

Scott had a team-high three hits against Bradley, while Wilkins added two hits.

For the complete story, visit www.hamptonpirates.com

B-CU Splits with Ohio State and Stony Brook

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Bethune-Cookman broke into the win column in grand fashion Saturday morning with a 4-3 victory over Ohio State at the Jacksonville Invitational before falling 2-1 to Stony Brook later in the day.

Snapping a six-game skid with the last three games being decided by a 39-1 margin, the Wildcats (1-7) got three hits from Shamaria Engram to defeat the Big Ten Buckeyes that had posted an 11-0 decision over B-CU the day before.

Simone Ceasar and Kelsey Rodney both scored a run and drove in an run, while Shanel Tolbert scattered nine hits and struck out five to help B-CU register its first victory over a Big Ten team since the 2005 squad downed Northwestern 2-1.

For the complete story, visit www.bcuathletics.com

Bethune-Cookman Falls 3-2 to Jacksonville

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Kelsey Rodney drove in two runs with a home run and a double, but Bethune-Cookman fell 3-2 to host Jacksonville Sunday to conclude the Jacksonville University Invitational.

The Wildcats (1-8) went 1-4 in the three-day tournament, with the win coming Saturday against Ohio State. B-CU has now dropped five games by two runs or less.

Rodney gave B-CU a 1-0 lead with her second inning lead off homer to left. After Jacksonville scored three in in the fourth, Rodney's double in the sixth scored Calesha Shelley to help the Wildcats close to one run.

Shelley and Melissa Berouty also singled for B-CU.

For the tournament, Shemaria Engram batted .417 (5-12).

For the complete story, visit www.bcuathletics.com