Box Score LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (Feb. 21, 2020)-The Morgan State softball team wrapped up the opening day of the Diamond 9 Citrus Class with an 8-3 victory over Oakland on Friday at ESPN's Wide World of Sports Complex.
 
The Lady Bears fell behind 3-0 after two innings, before scoring eight unanswered, posting four runs each in the third and fifth innings for the win.
 
Morgan State earned its second consecutive win and improved to 2-4 on the season, while the Golden Grizzlies fell to 3-3.
 
Inside The Numbers

• Morgan State's hot hitting continued. After producing season highs in hits (12), runs (12) and RBI (11) earlier in the day against Stetson, the Lady Bears scored eight runs on eight hits and had 6 RBI against Oakland.
• Cayla Sweazie went 2-for-4 with a game-high 4 RBI and a run scored to lead Morgan State. Aliya Ewell was also 2-for-4 with a run scored and RBI.
• Stephanie Rundlett (1-3) picked up her first win of the season. She surrendered three runs on six hits and threw a game-high six strikeouts.
• Morgan State went 2-0 on Day 1 of the Citrus Classic, while Oakland dropped both of its opening day contests.
• The Golden Grizzlies finished the game with three runs on six hits.
• Oakland committed five errors and Morgan State had three.
• Shannon Carr was 1-for-2 with a run and two walks. Iselia Pestana finished 1-for-2 with a run and a walk. Madison Jones recorded Oakland's lone RBI.
• Oakland pitching combined for eight strikeouts. Sydney Campbell tossed four strikeouts in 2.2 innings, while Chelsea Wiggins and Lauryn DeBono each struck out two batters.
• DeBono was charged with the loss and fell to 0-2 on the season. She was tagged for four runs on four hits and three walks in two innings of work. 

How It Happened:

• Oakland took advantage of two Morgan State errors to score twice in the first inning. Madison Jones reached on an error at second, which allowed Shannon Carr to score. Jones would later score when Lauren Griffith reached on an error on the pitcher to give the Golden Grizzlies a 2-0 lead.
• The Grizzlies extended their lead to 3-0 when Jones drew a bases loaded walk, scoring Iselia Pestana.
• Morgan State got on the board with four runs in the top of the third inning to take a 4-3 lead. Jalian Young, who led the inning with a single to right field and advanced to second on an error by the right fielder, later scored when Katariina Delph singled to right field. Aliya Ewell stepped to the plate and singled to left field to score Delph and cut the Oakland lead to 3-2. After Haylee Bobos walked, a pitching change followed and Chelsea Wiggins replaced Lauryn DeBono on the mound. Three batters later Cayla Sweazie singled to right field with bases loaded to score two runs and give Morgan State a 4-3 lead.
• The Lady Bears added to their lead with four more runs in the fifth inning to put the game away. Sweazie, as she did in the third inning, again stepped to the plate with bases loaded and singled to right field to score Deborah Hamilton and Ellen Ebbers to put the Lady Bears up 6-3. Amy Pacheco reached on an error at first base, scoring Sweazie and Meikel Turner for the 8-3 score. 

Up Next: Morgan State returns to the diamond on Saturday, Feb. 22 for Day 2 of the Diamond 9 Citrus Classic. The Lady Bears will take on Villanova at 1 p.m., before facing Troy at 3:30 p.m.