CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – The Tennessee State softball team opened its Ohio Valley Conference weekend series against Southeast Missouri on Saturday afternoon at the SE Softball Complex. The Tigers fell 7-2 in the first game of the day, moving to 0-22 overall and 0-10 in conference play.
Tianna Salcido got the start in the circle for Tennessee State, allowing four runs in the opening inning. Chelsi Ervin entered in relief and delivered a strong outing, pitching 5.2 innings while allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits and recording one strikeout.
Kailyn Jean-Baptiste led the Tigers offensively with a 2-for-3 performance and an RBI. Mariyah Brown added a double and drove in a run, while Jace Jackson recorded a hit and scored. TSU finished with five hits in the contest.
Southeast Missouri struck early with a four-run first inning, highlighted by a bases-clearing double to take a quick 4-0 lead. The Tigers answered in the second inning when Brown delivered an RBI double to plate a run and cut into the deficit.
Tennessee State continued to chip away in the third inning as Jean-Baptiste singled up the middle to bring home Jackson, making it a 4-2 game.
The Redhawks added an unearned run in the fourth inning and extended their lead in the sixth with a two-RBI double to make it 7-2. TSU was unable to respond down the stretch as Southeast Missouri secured the victory.
The Tigers will return to action later Saturday with game two of the doubleheader scheduled for 3:30 p.m. at the SE Softball Complex.
