Game 1
Game 2
SAVANNAH, Ga. (Feb. 9, 2013)-The Morgan State softball team opened up the 2013 season on the road Saturday and dropped both games of a non-conference doubleheader to defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) South Division champion Savannah State. The host Lady Tigers beat Morgan State 8-0 in the opener and closed out the series with a 10-2 victory on the opening day of the Lady Tiger Softball Tournament at Lady Tiger Field. Both games ended early in the fifth inning.
Savannah State (2-0) belted out 10 hits, while scoring eight runs and recording eight RBI against Morgan State pitching in the first game. Morgan State (0-2) finished with two hits in the game.
Tiffany Rubin went 1-for-2, while K Salvas was 1-for-1 with a triple.
The Lady Tigers jumped out to a 3-0 lead by scoring a run in each of the first three innings. The hosts then put up a three spot in the fourth inning to extend their lead to 6-0 and added two more runs in the fifth inning for an 8-0 lead, thus ending the game early.
Katherine Stewart led the Lady Tigers with a team-high two hits, a run scored and drove in two runs. Torrian Wright went 1-for-3 with a run scored and also drove in a team-high runs. Destiny Webster and Michaela Patton each scored a team-high two runs for Savannah State.
Madison Hedderly (1-0) recorded the win for the Lady Tigers, while Morgan State's
Shanice Crowder (0-1) pitched two innings and was charged with the loss. Hedderly pitched a complete game and allowed just two hits and struck out nine batters.
Game 2
Senior
Tiffany Rubin gave Morgan State its first run of the season, following a solo blast over the left field fence to give the Lady Bears a 1-0 lead in the first inning.
Savannah State answered in the bottom of the first, scoring three runs and extended its lead to 7-1 with four runs in the third.
Morgan State got a run back in the top of the fourth when Rubin walked and later scored on a fielding error for a 7-2 score.
The Lady Tigers closed out the game in the bottom of the fifth when they added three runs for the 10-2 victory. Imani Gayle hit a double and later stole third and home for an 8-2 SSU advantage. Michaela Patton singled to left field and Aaliya Jones scored, followed by Katherine Stewart, who ended the game with the Lady Tigers' 10th run.
Savannah State's Amanda McDowell earned the win to improve to 1-0 on the season. McDowell surrendered two runs on one hit and tallied eight strikeouts in five innings of work.
Jordan Eades was charged with the loss for Morgan State.
Morgan State returns to action on Sunday, Feb. 10, when it plays Thomas University at 10 a.m. and then closes out the tournament with a noon contest against South Carolina Beaufort.
The Savannah State sports information office contributed to portions of this release.
