EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. -- After getting a standout performance in the circle from sophomore Caitlyn Manus on Friday, the Tennessee State Tiger Softball Team (15-20-1, 6-8 OVC) gave up 19 hits in two games on Saturday and got swept by the SIU-Edwardsville Cougars 8-0 and 4-3. The Tigers have lost seven out of their last eight games and are 2-8 since starting the season 4-0 in OVC play.
GAME 1 | SIU-Edwardsville 8, Tennessee State 0
Tigers Blanked SIU-Edwardsville
The Tennessee State Tigers were not able to record a run against SIU-Edwardsville Cougar pitcher freshman Sydney Baalman on Saturday despite collecting five hits and were shut out 8-0 in six innings by the Cougars.
Freshman Holly Ayala (4-8) got the ball to start for Tennessee State (15-19-1, 6-7) and took the loss. In the batter's box, the Tigers were paced by sophomore Alyssia Drayton, who went 1-for-2 on the day with a double.
Tennessee State managed no chances with runners on third in the shutout, going 1-for-3 with runners in scoring position. The Tigers' best chance to score was in the fifth inning. With the score at 1-0, Drayton doubled but was thrown out at the plate after an infield single by Laila Armstrong.
SIUE got a run in the first inning, two more in the fifth inning, and finished the game with five runs in the sixth.
GAME NOTES
» Ayala faced 30 SIU-Edwardsville hitters in the game, allowing eight ground balls and seven fly balls while striking out one.
» Drayton led the Tigers at the plate, going 1-for-2 with a double.
» SIU-Edwardsville was led offensively by freshman Paige Rocha, who went 3-for-3 with a home run and two RBI.
» Baalman led the Cougars' pitching staff, throwing six scoreless innings.
GAME 2 | SIU-Edwardsville 4, Tennessee State 3
Spencer and Traylor Shine But Tigers Fall By One Run
The Tigers got a boost from freshman Onnika Spencer and sophomore Ryla Traylor in a 4-3 loss to the SIU-Edwardsville Cougars Saturday's Game 2. Spencer went 3-for-3 at the plate with a double and a walk, raising her batting average to .320 on the season, while Traylor knocked in all three of the Tigers' runs going 1-for-4 from the plate. Sophomore Caitlyn Manus (11-12) got the ball to start for Tennessee State and took the loss. Junior Anayah Baker-Rowell also contributed for TSU, putting together one hit in two trips to the plate while adding two walks.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Tigers struck first for the first time in the series when Traylor knocked in Baker-Rowell on a fielder's TSU went up 3-0 in the second inning when with one out, Mikayla Duke walked and advanced to second when Laila Armstrong reached on an error. A walk to Baker-Rowell loaded the bases, and with two outs, Traylor's single knocked in Duke and Armstrong.
The Cougars cut the lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the second on a two-run home run by Grace Lueke. The very next inning, SIUE tied it up on a sacrifice fly by Hayley Palm. In the bottom of the fourth, Paige Rocha's triple knocked in Jenna Herron to give SIUE the lead for good.
GAME NOTES
» Spencer led the Tigers, going a perfect 3-for-3 with a double and a walk.
» Tennessee State's highest-scoring inning was the second when it pushed two runs across.
» Manus limited SIU-Edwardsville to just 1-for-8 (.125) with runners in scoring position.
» Tennessee State pitchers faced 29 SIU-Edwardsville hitters in the game, allowing nine ground balls and eight fly balls while striking out one.
» The Tigers drew four walks from SIU-Edwardsville pitching.
» SIU-Edwardsville was led offensively by Grace Lueke, who went 1-for-2 with a home run and two RBI.
» Freshman Rylie Pindel led the Cougars pitching staff, throwing 5.1 shutout innings.
On Tuesday, the Tigers will finish their five-game road trip in Huntsville, Alabama, for a doubleheader against Alabama A&M.
