EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The Tennessee State softball traveled to Evansville to take on Southern Indiana for its final road doubleheader of the season and earned a split on the day with the Screaming Eagles. TSU fell 5-4 in game one while picking up a 7-0 win in game two.
USI 5, TSU 4
Despite picking up seven hits in the ballgame and out-hitting Southern Indiana, Tennessee State was unable to push across more runs, as the Tigers lost to the Screaming Eagles 5-4 Saturday in game one.
Junior
Reina Castillo (7-6) started and took the loss in the circle for Tennessee State (23-21, 14-8).
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Tigers got on the board immediately, starting their scoring with one run in the top of the first inning. Senior
Laila Armstrong came across to score the lone run of the inning for Tennessee State and get them on the board.
The Tigers lost their lead in the first, but got back on the board in the fourth trailing 3-1. Tennessee State scored a run when senior
Peyton Fointno drew a walk from junior Josie Newman that scored junior
Ryla Traylor, which tightened the Screaming Eagles' lead to 3-2.
Southern Indiana expanded their lead to 4-2 before the Tennessee State offense got back to work, reducing that lead to 4-3 in the fifth. The Tigers scored once on an RBI single off the bat of sophomore
Onnika Spencer.
The Screaming Eagles expanded their lead to 5-3 before the Tennessee State offense got back to work, digging into that lead in the seventh. The Tigers drove in a run when sophomore
Jasmine Blackburn drew a walk that scored Armstrong, bringing the score to 5-4 in favor of Southern Indiana. The ballgame ended with that seventh inning rally falling short.
GAME NOTES
» Tennessee State's highest scoring inning was the seventh, when it pushed one run across.
» The Tigers out-hit the Screaming Eagles at a 7-6 clip.
» Tennessee State pitchers faced 30 Southern Indiana hitters in the game, allowing 10 ground balls and seven fly balls while striking out one.
» The Tigers drew four walks from Southern Indiana pitching.
» Spencer led the Tigers at the plate, going 2-for-4 with an RBI.
TSU 7, USI 0
Junior
Caitlyn Manus was dealing on Saturday, throwing a two-hit shutout to lead the Tennessee State Tigers over the Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles 7-0 in game two.
Manus (11-10) went the distance for Tennessee State (24-21, 15-8), giving up two hits, walking two and striking out two.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Tigers took the lead for good in the second, scoring for the first time in the inning. Tennessee State's offense started clicking and put up four runs, including a one-run walk from Baker-Rowell.
The Tigers also added runs in the third, fifth, and seventh innings on the way to the 7-0 victory.
GAME NOTES
» Manus tossed a two-hit shutout for the Tigers.
» Tennessee State's highest scoring inning was the second, when it pushed four runs across.
» The Tigers had control of the rest of the game after jumping ahead of the Screaming Eagles 4-0 in the top of the second.
» The Tigers out-hit the Screaming Eagles at a 6-2 clip.
» Tennessee State pitchers faced 28 Southern Indiana hitters in the game, allowing four ground balls and 15 fly balls while striking out two.
» The Tigers drew seven walks from Southern Indiana pitching.
» Baker-Rowell led the Tigers at the plate, going 0-for-2 with an RBI.
NEXT UP
The Tigers will close its series with USI tomorrow at 1:00 p.m.
