SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Savannah State University softball team (2-0) started the 2018 season with a doubleheader sweep against Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opponent Norfolk State University (0-2) in a nonconference battle Friday at Lady Tiger Softball Field.
 
The Lady Tigers won easily in the first 7-1, but struggled in game two.  With Norfolk State up 4-0 heading to the bottom of the fifth inning, Savannah State scored three runs in the bottom half of the inning to pull within a run, 4-3, and followed up by scoring three more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to complete the comeback and win 6-4 in game two.  
 
Frist baseman Elizabeth Humes led the team going 5-for-8 (.625 batting average) in two games with two runs scored and five RBIs, while third baseman Cortni Jones and second baseman Shelby Eccles each batted .500.  Jones went 4-for-7 with a homerun and four RBIs, while Eccles went 3-for-6 with two runs scored and two RBIs.
 
Savannah State 7, Norfolk State 1
Humes led the team going 3-for-4 with three RBIs and a run scored, while Jones went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored and senior shortstop Drea Lesure went 2-for-3 with a run score.  On the mound, senior pitcher Amanda Hallman (1-0) picked up the win pitching 6.0 innings giving up one unearned run on three hits with five strikeouts, while Hannah Deckle pitched the final hitless inning with one strikeout.
 
Savannah State started the scoring in the bottom of the first inning with three runs to take a 3-0 lead.  Senior center fielder Brianna Harris started the inning with a single up the middle and Eccles walked and Humes drove the first run in with a single to right field to drive home Harris from second base, but Eccles was thrown out.  Jones followed up with a two-run home run to center field to give SSU a 3-0 lead.
 
Norfolk State got it's only run of the inning in the top of the second inning after a four-base error to right field to allow the runner to each home without a throw to cut the lead to 3-1.
 
The Lady Tigers scored three more runs in the bottom of the second inning to take a 6-1 lead.  Lesure started the inning with a double to right field and after a sacrifice bunt from sophomore Kelsey Cryus advanced Lesure to third base.  An error allowed sophomore right fielder Allye Sneed to reach on first and stole second and Harris walked to load the bases.  After a popup for the second out of the inning, Humes delivered with a single down the right field line to give SSU a 5-1 lead.  Jones reached on an error to allow Harris to score from third to give the Lady Tigers a 6-1 lead.  A groundout to second base ended the inning.
 
Savannah State scored the final run of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning to capture the six-run win after right fielder Peyton Mitchell groundout to second base to allow Hallman to score with the bases loaded.
 
The Spartans were led by Shelby Deschamps, Kylee Lopez and Meaghan Barfield with a hit each, while pitcher Hunter Halford scored the only run.  On the mound, Halford (0-1) picked up the loss in a complete game giving up seven runs, four earned, on 10 hits.
 
Savannah State 6, Norfolk State 4
Eccles went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs, while Humes and Jones each went 2-for-4 with two RBIs.  On the mound, junior pitcher Faith Dickerson pitched the first 5.0 innings giving up four runs, two earned, on six hits with four strikeouts, but Deckle (1-0) picked up the win in relief pitching the final 2.0 hitless innings.
 
Norfolk State started the game scoring two runs in the top of the first inning after two runs scored after an error and went up 4-0 after scoring two runs in the top of the fifth inning after a two-run homerun to center field.
 
Savannah State bounced back scoring three runs in the bottom half of the inning to close within a run, 4-3.  After a strikeout to start the inning, Harris and Eccles both singled and Humes drove in the first Lady Tiger of the game to cut the lead to 4-1.  Jones nearly missed on hitting a homerun after hitting the top of the fence for a two-run double to cut the lead to 4-3.  Back-to-back outs ended the inning leaving Jones on third.
 
The Lady Tigers took the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning after scoring three runs for the two-run win.  After a fly out to start the inning, Cyrus singled down the left field line.  After a pop out for the second out of the inning, Harris reached on an error and Eccles singled to center field to drive home both Harris and Sneed, who pinch ran for Cyrus, to take a 5-4 lead.  Eccles stole second and Humes doubled to right field to drive home Eccles for the 6-4 lead.  Jones singled to the pitcher to put runners on the corners, but Jones was caught stealing to end the inning.
 
Norfolk State went 3-up and 3-down in the top of the seventh inning give the Lady Tigers the comeback win.
 
The Spartans were led by Barfield going 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored, while Deschamps, Lopez and Halford scored a run.  On the mound, Skylar Swain (0-1) picked up the loss pitching 5.2 innings giving up six runs, three earned, on eight hits. 
 
Day two of the Tiger Classic continues Saturday with Norfolk State and South Carolina State University battling out at 10 a.m., followed by SSU and SCSU at 1 p.m. and SSU and NSU at 4 p.m. at Lady Tiger Softball Field.
 
 
Savannah State 7, Norfolk State 1 (Feb 16, 2018 at Savannah, Ga.) (Game 1)
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Norfolk State....... 010 000 0 -  1  3  2      (0-1)
Savannah State...... 330 010 X -  7 10  1      (1-0)
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Pitchers: Norfolk State - HALFORD,H and LOPEZ,K. Savannah State - HALLMAN, Amanda;
DECKLE, Hannah(7) and CYRUS, Kelsey.
Win-HALLMAN, Amanda(1-0)  Loss-HALFORD,H(0-1)  T-1:58  A-67
HR SSUSB - JONES, Cortni.
Weather: 78 sunny,wind:WSW @20mph
 
Savannah State 6, Norfolk State 4 (Feb 16, 2018 at Savannah, Ga) (Game 2)
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Norfolk State....... 200 020 0 -  4  6  3      (0-2)
Savannah State...... 000 033 X -  6  9  3      (2-0)
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Pitchers: Norfolk State - SWAIN,S; BUFFINGTON,S(6) and LOPEZ,K. Savannah State -
DICKERSON, Faith; DECKLE, Hannah(6) and CYRUS, Kelsey.
Win-DECKLE, Hannah(1-0)  Loss-SWAIN,S(0-1)  T-2:03  A-68
HR NSU - BARFIELD,M.
 
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