PEORIA, Ill - Playing in their second game of the day, the No. 3 seeded Tennessee State softball team responded from down 7-2 in the seventh inning to win in exciting fashion, scoring six runs in the top half to secure an 8-7 victory over No. 8 SIUE in an elimination game of the Ohio Valley Conference tournament on Thursday.
Holly Ayala picked up her second win of tournament after coming out of the bullpen. The right-hander went 4.2 innings, giving up two runs, both of them earned, on nine hits, allowing one walk and striking out one.
In the batter's box, the Tigers were led by Kailyn Jean-Baptiste, who went 1-for-3 on the day with a home run, a walk, and two RBI. Laila Armstrong put together a noteworthy day at the plate as well, going 2-for-3 with a triple, a walk, and an RBI. Anayah Baker-Rowell also chipped in for Tennessee State, putting together one hit in three trips to the plate while adding a triple, a walk and an RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Tigers got the scoring started early, putting pushing across two runs in the inning in the top of the first inning.
The Tigers lost the lead they built in the first, but got back on the board in the seventh trailing 7-2. The Tennessee State offense exploded for six runs, highlighted by a two-run home run off the bat of Jean-Baptiste, which brought the score to 8-7 in favor of the Tigers. Alexis Woods reached base to start the inning with a walk, followed by Peyton Fointno who reached on a single. Rylie Giddens was able to plate Woods, making it a 7-3 game, followed by Armstrong who singled in Fointno making it 7-4.
Baker-Rowell hit a bases-clearing triple that pulled the Tigers within two as Armstrong came around to score. The big inning continued as Onnika Spencer followed with another single to score Baker-Rowell, followed by Jean-Baptiste's first big fly of the season.
The score remained 8-7 for the rest of the game, as Tennessee State held on for the win.
GAME NOTES
» Tennessee State's highest-scoring inning was the seventh, when it pushed six runs across.
» Tennessee State pitchers faced 37 SIU-Edwardsville hitters in the game, allowing 13 ground balls and four fly balls while striking out two.
» The Tigers drew seven walks from SIUE pitching.
» Jean-Baptiste led the Tigers at the plate, going 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBI.
NEXT UP
TSU will continue play in the OVC tournament tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. as they will take on the winner of Tennessee Tech / Southern Indiana.
