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Tennessee State University

Seventh Inning Run Lifts Tigers to Split with Belmont, Snap Losing Streak

5/4/2018 5:01:00 PM

Box Score 1

GAME 50: Belmont 2, Tennessee State 1
GAME 51: Tennessee State 2, Belmont 1
RECORDS: TSU (4-47, 1-19), BU (23-25, 4-16)
FIELD: Tiger Field
LOCATION: Nashville, Tenn.
WEATHER: Cloudy, 79

NASHVILLE --- Tennessee State scored on a passed ball in the bottom of the seventh inning of game two of their Ohio Valley Conference double header on Friday to snap a 31 game losing skid. Ariel Johnson scampered home to give TSU a 2-1 victory over Belmont on senior day; right after the Bruins claimed the opener by the same score, 2-1.

Johnson opened the final frame by beating out an infield single to short and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Whitney Ennis. Sarah Snell was intentionally walked giving the Big Blue two runners on with one out. Johnson used her speed to take advantage of a dropped ball by the Bruins catcher to move within 60 feet of home plate. After a Snell stolen base, Johnson scurried home as the next pitch would get away once again from the Bruins backstop.

The two games featured a pair of pitching battles. Belmont's Brooklin Lee upended junior Lauren Powell in the opener. The Tigers touched Lee for a run on five hits and two walks, while the Bruins scored a pair of unearned runs off Powell, who held BU to three hits and two walks.

In the night cap, Tori Hart tossed a gem and was awarded with the win. The sophomore allowed two hits and three walks for one run, while TSU finally got to Alicia Veltri after being no-hit for the first five frames. TSU punched across a run in the sixth before Johnson scored the game winner in the Tigers final at bat.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

  • Sarah Snell recorded half of the Tigers hits on the day, finishing 4-for-6 over both games.
  • Erica O'Kane registered a hit and an RBI in each game.
  • Bri Vire earned a hit in game one, while Ariel Johnson picked up a knock in the night cap.
  • Sarah Snell was intentionally walked in game two, giving her 29 on the season.
  • Snell is now in sole possession on second place on the TSU single season list for base on balls.
  • Reese Weber was hit by a pitch for the ninth time this year, moving into eighth in the Tigers single season Top 10 list.
  • Tori Hart gained her first win of the season with two hit, three walk performance.
  • Hart struck out three batters as she improved to 1-14.
  • Lauren Powell suffered the loss in the opener as she scattered three hits and two walks.
  • TSU comitted three errors in the contest, which acounted for two unearned runs against the junior hurler.
  • Powell (2-24) fanned six batters, giving her 91 on the season.

GAME 1

  • Bri Vire ripped a one out single into ledt center to start a TSU rally in the first inning.
  • The Tigers loaded the bases after a walk to Reese Weber and an error off the bat of Katie Schneider.
  • Erica O'Kane snuck a ball through the left side of the infield to score Vire and give TSU a 1-0 lead.
  • In the second inning, play was halted due to a one hour and 27 minute rain delay.
  • After play resumed, the Tigers would place runners on base in four of the final six innings, but were unable to push another run across.
  • Lauren Powell held Belmont hitless for 3.1 innings before allowing a double in the fourth.
  • The Bruins extended the inning with a Tiger error and took full advantage to score two unearned runs to gain the lead, 2-1.
  • Powell would keep the Bruins off the board over the final three inniings, but TSU was not able to even the score.

GAME 2

  • Tori Hart gave up a single to open the game and did not allow another hit until the sixth inning.
  • Belmont's Alicia Veltri went toe-to-toe with Hart, tossing five innings of no-hit ball.
  • BU opened the scoring in the sixth as Lexi Rouse hit a solo shot to straight away centerfield for a 1-0 lead.
  • The dinger would be the last Hart would surrender.
  • Sarah Snell earned the Tigers first hit with a single to right and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Bri Vire, a hit by pitch on Reese Weber and a walk to Katie Schneider.
  • Erica O'Kane singled to left, plating Snell to even the score, 1-1.
  • In the seventh inning, Ariel Johnson beat out an infield single and moved into scoring position on sacrifice by Whitney Ennis.
  • After an intentional walk to Snell, Johnson swiped third as the BU catcher mishandled a pitch.
  • One pitch after Snell stole second base, Johnson once again took advantage of a catcher mishap, scoring on a passed ball.

UP NEXT

The Tigers will close out the season at home with a double header versus Austin Peay on Sunday, May 6. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.

NOTES

  • The Tigers wore their all white uniforms with the blue stirups with horizontal red and white stripes
  • First pitch of game one was at 11:04 a.m.
  • The game has halted at 11:25 a.m. due to rain
  • Play resumed at 12:53 p.m. after a 1:27 rain delay
  • Game one duration was 1:51
  • First pitch of game two was at 2:58 p.m.
  • Game two duration was 1:46
  • Lauren Powell became the first pitcher to strikeout 90-plus batters in a season since Shea Morris recorded 144 in 2014
  • Powell's 91 punch outs ties her with Candace Hildebrand (2007) on TSUs single season strikeout list
  • Powell surpassed Hildebrand's 2006 mark of 87 and Olivia Gamache's 89 in 2014
  • Katie Schneider hauled in 13 putouts on Friday, increasing her season total to 272
  • Schneider moves past Jalisa Bradley's 264 in 2008 to claim seventh most in a single season at TSU
  • TSU snapped a 31 losing skid with the win in game two

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