The Tuskegee University softball team earned its first win of the season downing Bowie State 17-7 during day one of the HBCU Tournament in Acworth, Ga, Saturday afternoon. The Golden Tigers would later split the day's action falling to Grambling State 5-3.
In game one versus BSU, The Bulldogs hit a pair of home runs to hold a 2-1 lead through four innings. However, Tuskegee pushed eight across the plate in the top of 5th inning to take control of the game at 9-2 which inlcuded a two RBI single by
Chelsea Mowery.
Bowie State was able to get three runs back in their share of the 5th inning only to have Tuskegee match the Bulldogs with three runs of their own in the top half of the 6th inning. TU responded when they scored five in the top of the 7th inning to seal the 17-7 victory.
Freshman
Kristina Hawke pitched seven innings in the season opener, striking out one but walked eight.
The Golden Tigers pounded out 17 hits while holding its opponent to seven. The flood gates really opened for TU when Mowery homered to left field scoring K. Wright, J.Lawrence and M. Hawkins.
In game two, Grambling State took a 2-1 lead into the sixth, but Tuskegee plated two runs to grab a 3-2 advantage entering the bottom of the frame when Alex Mason singled to center field scoring
N'daya Jordan and
Jasmyne Lawrence.
Tyra Triplett began the inning with a single to center and stole second and third.
Morgan Adams walked and with Miller at the plate, Triplett scored on a passed ball to tie the game at 3. On a 3-1 pitch, Miller launched a two-run homer deep over the center field wall to give Grambling State a 5-3 lead.
D'Maria Matthews, who replaced starting pitcher
Ja'Lynn Bonner in the fifth, fanned the first batter, then ended the game with a pair of flyouts.
Lyons pitched all six inning for the Golden Tigers allowing five runs on five hits.
TU closes out the tournament Sunday with a pair of games against Winston-Salem State and Claflin.
