Tuskegee splits DH with Alabama A & M
TUSKEGEE, Ala. (goldentigersports.com) — A stellar defensive play ignited the Tuskegee University softball team in game two of the doubleheader against Alabama A&M University, leading the Lady Golden Tigers to a split with a 6-4 victory in the finale Wednesday evening.
Tuskegee (10-22) and Alabama A&M each scored a pair of runs in the first inning of the nightcap, and Alabama A&M (7-20) was poised to go ahead in the top of the third inning. However, Tuskegee leftfielder Kenyah Smith had other plans as she fielded a single off the bat of Vinidiana Ramos and fired home to cut down Alabama A&M’s Kia Lang at home to end the inning and the threat.
The Golden Tigers responded to the play in the bottom of the third inning as Kaylin Finch led off the inning with a double to right center, before Smith reached on an infield single that pushed Finch to third. After Smith stole second, Jasmine Howard singled to right center to score Finch and Smith to give Tuskegee a 4-2 lead. They would another run when Haley Plato laid down a bunt to score Howard from third for the eventual game-winning RBI and a 5-2 lead.
Tuskegee added another run in the bottom of the sixth inning for insurance as Chante Warner scored on a wild pitch after reaching base on a one-out triple off Alabama A&M pitcher Emily Lipinski.
Toni Beth Garner (2-6) picked up the win with a complete game effort allowing four runs and scattering nine hits. She struck out three and did not walk an Alabama A&M batter on the day.
Finch led Tuskegee with three hits (going 3-for-4), while Warner, Smith, Howard and Garner each picked up a pair of hits to lead the 13-hit attack from Tuskegee.
Jordan Bradley (2-6) suffered the loss for Alabama A&M, giving up five runs in just three innings of work, while Tiana Sanders led Alabama A&M at the plate with a pair of two-run home runs accounting for all of the Lady Bulldogs runs in the finale.
In the opener, Tuskegee fell behind early and was unable to overcome the early deficit as they fell 8-4.
Alabama A&M jumped ahead with four runs through the first three innings before Tuskegee could get on the board. The Lady Golden Tigers scored a pair of runs in the third inning to trim the lead to 4-2, using a trio of bunts and an infield hit to trim the deficit.
However, the Lady Bulldogs answered with four runs in the fourth inning that included a Ramos homerun. Tuskegee scored their final two runs in the fifth inning Haley Plato led off the inning with a bunt and advanced to second on a Sharde Thomas single to left for one of her three hits in the opener. Both runners scored on a Warner single up the middle for their final two runs of the game.
Finch (4-7) suffered the loss with a complete game effort. She allowed eight runs (four earned) off of eight hits, while striking out five. Thomas led the effort at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a pair of runs. Warner added a pair of hits to lead the Lady Golden Tigers’ eight-hit attack.
Caitlyn Hayden (4-6) picked up the win for Alabama A&M, scattering eight hits in a complete game effort. She allowed four runs (two earned), while striking out four. Lang was the only player to pick up multiple hits for Alabama A&M in the game one victory, going 2-for-4.
Tuskegee returns to action Saturday against Spring Hill College in a key Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) series. The Lady Golden Tigers and Spring Hill will meet at 2 pm Saturday, before playing a doubleheader on Sunday.
