SAVANNAH, Ga. – Savannah State scored early in game 1 and late in game 2 to sweep a doubleheader from the Norfolk State softball team in both team's first contests of the year on Friday afternoon at the Lady Tiger Softball Field.
Game 1 of the Tiger Classic saw Savannah State score three runs in the first and three more in the second on the way to a 7-1 win. Down 4-0 in game 2, the Tigers scored three runs in the fifth and another three in the sixth to claim a 6-4 victory.
Sophomore
Meaghan Barfield hit a two-run home run in the second contest and finished 3-for-6 on the day. Junior
Kylee Lopez was the only other Spartan player to record two hits.
In game 2, NSU loaded the bases on a walk and a pair of singles in the top of the first. With two outs, senior
Seana Moriarty reached on an error on Savannah State right fielder Peyton Mitchell to score a pair.
Junior
Hunter Halford singled with two outs in the fifth and immediately scored on Barfield's home run to center on the first pitch of the at bat for a 4-0 lead. Elizabeth Humes hit an RBI single in the bottom of the inning, and Cortni Jones followed with a two-run double for SSU to cut the Spartan lead to 4-3.
One inning later, Shelby Eccles smacked a two-run single to give the Tigers the lead for good, and Humes added another RBI double for the final 6-4 margin.
Eccles, Humes and Jones each had two hits and two RBI. Eccles also scored a pair of runs in the second game.
Humes and Jones combined for five hits and five RBI in game 1 as well. Jones hit a two-run home run as part of a three-run first inning. Humes' two-run single highlighted a three-run second inning for the Tigers. That gave them a 6-1 lead after the Spartans had scored their lone run in the top of the second. Halford reached on an error on SSU right fielder Allye Sneed and came all the way around to score on the play.
An RBI groundout in the fifth for Savannah State closed out the scoring in the season opener for both teams.
Freshman
Skylar Swain gave up six runs, three earned, with four strikeouts in 5.2 innings of game 2 in her collegiate debut. Halford suffered the loss in game 1.
Amanda Hallman allowed three hits and one unearned run with five strikeouts to lead Savannah State to the season-opening win.
NSU will play both South Carolina State and Savannah State tomorrow during the second day of the Tiger Classic.
