DECATUR, Ga – After finishing late on Friday night, the Tennessee State University Tigers had to play two morning games in the Georgia State University Panther Invitational. The Tigers started fast, scoring three runs in the first game against Western Carolina but lost 7-5. In the second game, Ryla Traylor had the only two hits against Northern Iowa in a 4-0 loss.
Tiger Rally Comes Up Short in 7-5 Loss to Western Carolina
The Tennessee State Tigers got three hits out of grad student Nahtali Simpson in a 7-5 loss to the Western Carolina Catamounts Saturday morning. Freshman Holly Ayala (2-3) started and took the loss in the circle for Tennessee State (8-4).
In addition to her three hits, Simpson had a double, a walk, and an RBI to lead the Tigers. Sophomore Ryla Traylor also performed well, going 2-for-3 with two RBI. Ayala also chipped in for TSU, putting together two hits in four trips to the plate while adding an RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Tigers got on the scoreboard first, starting in the third inning. Traylor's single to left knocked in Peyton Fointno to start a three-run rally. Ayala then singled to center to knock in Simpson. Ayala scored on an RBI double by freshman Onnika Spencer.
The Catamounts then rallied to score seven runs and take a 7-3 lead before the Tigers got back on the board in the seventh. TSU plated two runs off Western Carolina pitching, punctuated by a run-scoring double off the bat of Simpson and a Traylor sacrifice fly, which tightened the Catamounts lead to 7-5. Western Carolina closed their win by getting ground outs by Ayala and Spencer.
GAME NOTES
» Simpson led the Tigers, compiling three base hits in the ballgame.
» TSU's highest-scoring inning was the third when it pushed three runs across.
» The Tigers out-hit the Lady Catamounts at an 11-10 clip.
» Tennessee State went 5-for-8 (.625) with runners in scoring position.
» Tennessee State pitchers faced 32 Western Carolina hitters in the game, allowing 15 ground balls and six fly balls.
» Simpson led the Tigers at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a double and an RBI.
» Western Carolina was led offensively by senior Bailey Huneycutt, who went 3-for-4 with a double and three RBI.
» Freshman Taylor Norton led the Catamounts pitching staff, throwing seven innings of five-run ball.
Tigers Get Shutout Against Northern Iowa
Northern Iowa's Junior Samantha Heyer and sophomore Anna Wischnowski combined to throw a shutout on Saturday as the Northern Iowa Panthers blanked the Tennessee State Tigers 4-0. Sophomore Caitlyn Manus (6-2) started and took the loss in the circle for Tennessee State (8-5). The right-hander went five innings, giving up three runs, one earned, on five hits, allowing five walks, and striking out two. In the batter's box, the Tigers were paced by sophomore Ryla Traylor, who went 2-for-3 on the day.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Tennessee State didn't advance a runner past first base in the ballgame.
GAME NOTES
» TSU pitchers limited Northern Iowa to just 2-for-14 (.143) with runners in scoring position.
» Tiger pitchers faced 36 Northern Iowa hitters in the game, allowing four ground balls and ten fly balls while striking out five.
» Traylor led the Tigers at the plate, going 2-for-3.
» Northern Iowa was led offensively by sophomore Kylee Sanders, who went 1-for-2 with a home run and an RBI.
» Heyer led the Panthers pitching staff, throwing six shutout innings.
TSU will finish out the Panther Invitational on Sunday when they take on host Georgia State at 11:30 a.m. CST
