OXFORD, AL -- Her nickname is "Little Bit," but Anayah Baker-Rowell came up big in the Tennessee State Tigers' ten-inning victory over the Lindenwood Lions in the first game of single elimination Ohio Valley Conference Tournament action. Down 2-0 in the bottom of the seventh, Baker-Rowell knocked in pinch-hitter Marisa Mauroschadt with two outs, then hustled home on a short passed ball to tie it. In the bottom of the tenth, She knocked in Laila Armstrong on a no-out double to end it. 

Sophomore Caitlyn Manus (16-13) started in the circle and picked up the win for TSU (22-24-1). The right-hander went ten innings, giving up two runs, both of them earned, on nine hits, allowing one walk and striking out six. She battled through warm conditions all game. 

Baker-Rowell led offensively for the Tigers, going 2-for-5 in the ballgame with a double, a triple, and two RBI. Sophomore Ryla Traylor and junior Peyton Fointno pitched in at the plate, going 2-for-4. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Lions struck first in the top of the fifth inning when Lauren Pelton reached first on a dropped third strike. She was lifted for pinch runner Whitney Kinser who scored on a base hit by Jolie McMinn.  The Lions added insurance in the top of the seventh when Teresa Snaidauf knocked in Amanda Weyh. TSU put their rally caps on in the bottom of the inning with some aggressive moves. With one out, Head Coach Genee McRath sent Mauroschadt to pinch hit, and she singled to left field. After an Armstrong strike-out, Baker barely missed tying the game with a triple high off the left field fence. Two pitches later, she aggressively scored on a passed ball just a few feet away from the catcher. 

The game remained tied until the bottom of the tenth. Armstrong singled up the middle to lead off the bottom half of the inning. Then Baker-Rowell lined a double to center, easily scoring the speedy Armstrong. Baker-Rowell, who has been hitting the ball hard but right at opponents, was happy to contribute. The Tigers will take on #3 USI in double-elimination play later today. 

"I knew once Laila got on that she would score," said Baker-Rowell. "I just trusted my hands and got the winning hit. We never gave up. That's how we have played all season. It was just my turn to make it happen." 

GAME NOTES

» Manus limited Lindenwood to just 3-for-15 (.200) with runners in scoring position. 
» The Tigers' power output was led by Baker, who picked up two extra-base hits in the ballgame.
» TSU's highest-scoring inning was the seventh when it pushed two runs across.
» Tennessee State pitchers
» Manus faced 42 Lindenwood (MO) hitters in the game, allowing 11 ground balls and 13 fly balls while striking out six.
» Baker-Rowell, Traylor, and Fointno led the Tigers at the plate with two hits apiece. Baker-Rowell went 2-for-5 with a double, a triple, and two RBI and scored a run.
» Lindenwood (MO) was led offensively by freshman Jolie McMinn, who went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
» Senior Amanda Weyh led the Lions pitching staff, throwing eight innings of two-run ball.

Tigers Take on USI 

The Matchup: #6 Tennessee State Tigers (22-24-1)  vs. #3 University of Southern Indiana
Date/Time: Wednesday, May 10 | 3 p.m. (CST)
Watch Live: ESPN +
Live Stats: https://statb.us/b/465549
Location: Choccolocco Park | Oxford, Alabama
Series: USI defeated the Tigers two games to one this season. 
 
 
SCOUTING THE TIGERS:

• Grad student Nahtali Simpson (2/28/2000) and senior Shelby Shepard (6/12/2000) are the only two Tiger players born the last time TSU was in the postseason. Seniors Jordan Turner (5/10/2001) and Marisa Mauroschadt (6/20/2001), along with junior Peyton Fointno (11/23/01), were born in the same year.
• The Tigers are now the second-winningest team in program history behind the 2007 team that won 35 games. 
• Junior Peyton Fointno won the OVC and the Tennessee Sports Writers Association Player of the Week. She has seven singles in her last nine at-bats. Fointno has 10 RBI in her previous four games and is on a five-game hitting streak. Since moving down to the seventh hole in the batting order, she has raised her average by 45 points.
• Junior Ryla Traylor has hit safely in ten of the last eleven games. She is the only Tiger hitting above .300. She has reached base safely in 21 of her 24 games against OVC opponents.
• Junior Anayah Baker-Rowell is a perfect 10-for-10 in stolen bases this season.
• Freshman catcher Onnika Spencer leads the team in home runs (nine), RBI (31), and slugging percentage (.585).
• Laila Armstrong has reached base safely in 16 of the last 18 games.
• The Tigers have turned 23 double plays this season while only committing seven.

• Pitcher Josie Newman is an All-OVC first-teamer. In the series against TSU earlier in the season, she went 1-1, pitching 13 innings on eight hits, striking out six, and giving up four runs, all earned. Newman leads the OVC in strikeouts with 83 in 95.1 innings in conference play. 
• Designated player Allie Gooden is the OVC co-Player of the Year. She beat the Tigers single-handedly in the rubber game of the series in Nashville with two home runs and all five RBI in a 5-1 victory. 
• USI is batting .282 as a team, placing them second in the OVC. 
• USI pitchers lead the conference, striking out 109 batters.