Cookeville, Tenn. --- The Tennessee State University softball team picked up a doubleheader split on the road at Tennessee Tech on Wednesday, notching a 2-0 win in game one before dropping a 4-3 decision in extra innings.

 

Tennessee State moves to 16-18 (7-7 OVC) while Tech moves to 21-21 (9-4 OVC).

 

As a team, Tennessee State hit .224 and tallied 13 hits. Caitlin Eaton and Tamara Perkins were both 2-of-3 at the plate and hit .667 on the day.

 

In game one, although both teams were presented with opportunities to score, neither squad was able to get on the board through the first six innings.

 

In a pitcher's battle, Tennessee State tallied four hits while Tennessee Tech notched six through six frames. But neither team, however, could string anything together for a score.

 

The Tigers finally posted the first runs of the game in the top of the seventh inning. Jill Gardner walked to lead off the inning before beating the throw to second on a fielder's choice that got Jennifer Culberson on first.

 

Gardner and Culberson advanced to second and third, respectively, when Bridget Metzger grounded out to the pitcher. TSU took a 1-0 lead when Gardner scored on a RBI from Brittany Webb.

 

The Tigers increased the lead to 2-0 when Caitlin Eaton drove in Culberson with a single down the right field line.

 

The Golden Eagles weren't able to score in the bottom of the seventh as Caitlin Eaton (10-7) picked up the complete game win and shutout. Eaton helped her own cause going 2-for-2 at the plate and recording one of TSU's two RBIs. Brittany Webb also tallied an RBI for the Tigers.

 

In the second game of the day, Tennessee Tech battled back from behind 3-0 to capture a 4-3 victory.

 

TSU took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the third. Tamara Perkins got things started with a triple to center field and later crossed the plate when Bridget Metzger registered a single up the middle.

 

In the top of the fifth, Culberson singled down left field line then swiped second to get into scoring position. Bridget Metzger reached first base on a TTU error before Brittany Webb singled to center field to drive in Culberson.

 

Webb advanced to second on the throw before Caitlin Eaton walked for the fifth time of the day to load the bases. Royesha Goodman then drove in Metzger with a hit to shallow right center to put TSU ahead 3-0.

 

Tech answered back in the bottom of the fifth, however, capitalizing on three hits and one TSU error to even the score 3-3.

 

Neither team scored in the sixth and seventh innings, forcing the game into extra frames.

 

In the bottom of the eighth, a lead off walk and a single led to Tech putting the winning run on second base. The runners advanced to second and third on a sacrifice bunt before a hit-by-pitch walk loaded the bases.

 

With the bases loaded, the batter was hit by a pitch to send in the winning run and give Tech the narrow 4-3 win.

 

Troglin (2-3) was tagged with the loss as Brittany Webb and Tamara Perkins led TSU with two hits apiece.

 

The Tigers return to action this weekend with a series at OVC opponent Morehead State.