ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. | The Tuskegee University softball team came up short in their two games of the Flagler Invitational, dropping a 7-4 decision to Flagler in the opener and 8-6 in extra innings to Eckerd in the nightcap.
 
In the opener against Flagler, the Lady Saints jumped out to an early 2-0 lead before Tuskegee rallied in the fourth inning to take a 3-2 lead when Kaylin Finch connected for her first collegiate homerun – a three-run shot to take the lead.
 
Flagler answered with three in the fourth and a pair in the fifth to seal the win.
 
Tuskegee was held to five hits in the loss, all by five different players. Toni Beth Garner (0-4) suffered the loss with a complete game effort as she allowed seven runs (six earned) off of 10 hits.
 
The two teams will meet again next weekend in Tuskegee.
 
Against Eckerd, the Lady Golden Tigers jumped ahead early in the first inning as they pushed a couple of runs across on a throwing error and Adrienne Eaddy RBI single. The lead stayed there until Eckerd pushed four runs across in the fifth to take a 5-3 lead.
 
Tuskegee (0-13) was able to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth inning when Kenyah Smith doubled and scored on a two-run homerun by Cari Driver to send the game to extra innings.
 
The two teams traded runs in the eighth with Tuskegee pushing their run across on a Haley Plato squeeze play to score Roneshia Rudolph. Eckerd was able to put the game away in the top of the ninth inning with a pair of runs.
 
Sharde Thomas went 3-for-5 in the finale with a run scored, while Driver finished 2-for-5. Karisa Foya and Chante Warner each picked up a pair of hits for Tuskegee. Foye (0-2) suffered the loss with a complete game effort, allowing just five earned runs off of nine hits with a strikeout.
 
Tuskegee returns to action Sunday morning against Newberry at 10 am (est), followed by Eckerd at 12 noon (est) in St. Augustine.
 
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