COOKEVILLE, Tenn. --  As the saying goes, "There is no I in team." The Tennessee State Tiger softball team salvaged a split against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles by getting contributions from many players in the 7-1 victory in Game 2 in Ohio Valley Conference play from Cookeville, Tennessee. The Golden Eagles defeated the Tigers in the first game by the same score. The TSU win broke a seven-game losing streak to Tech and was their first win in Cookeville since April 16, 2016. Ironically, that was a doubleheader, with both teams winning 3-0. After the Game 1 loss, the players had a players-only meeting that seemed to give them an edge. 

 "It wasn't much the coaches could say after game one," said TSU head coach Genee McRath. "I don't know what was said, but it worked. That was the best game that we have played in a while." 

DOUBLEHEADER NOTES 

» Sophomore Mikayla Duke was impressive at the plate for the day, going a combined 3-for-6, with two RBI and two walks for the day. Her efforts raised her batting average by 23 points. She has now reached safely in seven straight games. 
» Grad student Nahtali Simpson continued her outstanding play in the field. She started two double plays and made a sensational play in the bottom of the fifth of game one to prevent TSU from being run-ruled. Her effort allowed the Tigers to score a run in the top of the sixth to give them momentum heading into game two. She also went 3-for-5 at the plate with an RBI and scored a run. 
» Sophomore Caitlyn Manus was in command in both games, giving up one earned run in 8 1/3 innings pitched. 
» Junior Laila Armstrong went 3-for-7 on the day and scored a run. She has reached base safely in 13 of her last 14 games.
» Sophomore Alyssia Drayton didn't play in the first game but coaxed three walks and went 1-for-1 scoring a run for the day.
» Junior Anayah Baker-Rowell had a hit in each game. She doubled and scored TSU's only run in game one.
» TSU drew 14 walks on the day. Seven in each game. 
» Sophomore Ryla Traylor had two hits, two walks, and scored a run.
» Game two was the first time that the Tigers scored in over two innings since their 14-1 victory over Lindenwood on March 11. 
 
GAME 1 | Tennessee Tech 7, Tennessee State 1

Tigers Leave 11 On Base in Loss to TTU

Though they had plenty of opportunities, the Tennessee State Tigers struggled to cash them in, leaving 11 runners on base in a 7-1 setback at the hands of the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles on Saturday. The win was only the second for Tech on the OVC this season.

Freshman Holly Ayala (4-11) started and took the loss in the circle for TSU. Sophomore Mikayla Duke led the way at the plate, going 2-for-3 for Tennessee State. Junior Anayah Baker-Rowell went 1-for-3 in the ballgame with a double, scoring the lone run and a walk. Freshman Onnika Spencer also furnished a standout day at the dish, going 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The game was close until Tech scored six runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. With one out, the Golden Eagles scored six runs, three coming on walks with the bases-loaded. The Tigers were trailing 7-0 in the seventh inning when they first put runs on the board. Tennessee State got an RBI single from Spencer, scoring Baker from third base. The ballgame ended with that seventh-inning rally falling short.

GAME NOTES
» Tennessee State scored their lone run in the seventh on an RBI single by Spencer.
» TSU left 11 runners stranded on base in the loss.
» Tennessee State pitchers faced 31 Tennessee Tech hitters in the game, allowing eight ground balls and seven fly balls while striking out one.
» The Tigers drew seven walks from Tennessee Tech pitching and left 11 runners on.
» Baker-Rowell had the lone extra-base hit for the Tigers, going 1-for-3 with a double.
» Tennessee Tech was led offensively by sophomore Meaghan Houk, who went 2-for-3 with a double, a triple, and an RBI.
» Junior Kaylan Cole led the Golden Eagles pitching staff, throwing seven innings of one-run ball.
 

GAME 2 | Tennessee State 7, Tennessee Tech 1

Tiger Bats Come Alive in Victory Over Tech 

The Tennessee State Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the first inning and never surrendered the advantage on the way to a 7-1 victory against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles on Saturday. Sophomore Caitlyn Manus, who evened her record at 13-13, started in the circle and picked up the win for Tennessee State (17-24-1). The right-hander went seven innings, giving up one first-inning run on six hits, allowing four walks, and striking out three.

At the plate, graduate student Nahtali Simpson paced the Tigers, who went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Sophomore Mikayla Duke went 1-for-2 on the day with a double, two walks, and two huge RBI. Sophomore Alyssia Drayton also contributed for Tennessee State, putting together one hit in one trip to the plate while adding three walks.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Tigers got on the board immediately, starting their scoring with one run in the top of the first inning. Junior Anayah Baker-Rowell and sophomore Ryla Traylor started the inning off with singles. Baker-Rowell stole third and eventually scored when Traylor was tagged out at second trying to steal. The Golden Eagles tied in the bottom of the inning on a sacrifice fly by Savannah Talley.

The score stayed the same until the top of the fifth when the Tigers pushed across four runs, highlighted by a two-run double off the bat of Duke and an RBI by Simpson that scored Drayton. Laila Armstrong also scored on the play on an errand throw. TSU added some insurance when they scored two more runs. Simpson led off the inning with her third hit of the game. Walks to Spencer, and Duke loaded the bases. After one out, Spencer scored on a fielder's choice off the bat of Peyton Fointno. Duke scored on a wild pitch to finish the scoring. 

GAME NOTES

» Simpson picked up three base hits in the game for Tennessee State.
» TSU's highest-scoring inning was the fifth when it pushed four runs across.
» Tennessee State grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top half of the first. After the game was tied at one, they scored four runs in the fifth and didn't surrender that lead for the remainder of the game.
» The Tigers out-hit the Golden Eagles at a 10-6 clip. The ten hits were the most in a game since their 7-1 win over Lindenwood on March 12. 
» Manus faced 30 Tennessee Tech hitters in the game, allowing seven ground balls and ten fly balls while striking out three.
» The Tigers drew seven walks from Tennessee Tech pitching.
» Duke went 1-for-2 at the plate with a double and two RBI.
» Tennessee Tech was led offensively by sophomore Abby Shoulders, who went 2-for-4.

The two teams finish the series tomorrow for the rubber match at 1 p.m.