COLUMBUS, Ga. — The top-seeded Tuskegee Golden Tigers opened the 2025 Cricket SIAC Softball Championship with a dominant win over Benedict but fell in their second matchup against Albany State, setting up a must-win elimination game on Monday morning at the South Commons Softball Complex.
Tuskegee 13, Albany State 1
In their opening game of the tournament, Tuskegee exploded offensively, defeating No. 4 seed from the East Division, Benedict, by a score of 13-1 in a five-inning contest.
The Golden Tigers set the tone early, plating six runs in the first inning and never looking back.
Jessica Morales paced the offense, going 3-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs, while
Shanna McNair added two hits and two RBIs of her own.
Kaeley Roldan contributed with a 1-for-2 performance, driving in a run and scoring another.
The Golden Tigers showed exceptional discipline at the plate, drawing seven walks to fuel the offensive outburst.
Kamya Hampton was dominant in the circle for Tuskegee, throwing a complete-game five-inning gem.
Hampton allowed just four hits and one earned run, striking out two and walking two, improving her record to 11-4 on the season.
Tuskegee stole a remarkable 14 bases in the win, with Morales leading the charge with four steals, followed closely by
Nylah Strange-Lindley and McNair with two apiece.
The Golden Tigers also capitalized on three Benedict errors to build their lead.
Albany State 4, Tuskegee 2
In their second game of the day, Tuskegee faced No. 2 seed from the East Division, Albany State, in a tightly contested matchup that saw the Golden Rams pull away late for a 4-2 victory.
Monica Rose pitched a complete game for the Golden Tigers, giving them every opportunity to stay in the contest. Rose threw 7.0 innings, allowing nine hits, four runs (three earned), and striking out four batters without issuing a walk.
Tuskegee's offense battled, collecting seven hits against Albany State's pitching. Morales once again led the way, going 2-for-4 with a double, while
Victoria Harrison added a double of her own and later scored.
Ava Merideth delivered a key pinch-hit RBI single in the sixth inning to bring Tuskegee within a run, but Albany State tacked on two runs in the seventh to seal the win.
The Golden Tigers stranded ten runners on base, missing several opportunities to capitalize with runners in scoring position despite aggressive base running that included multiple steals from
Carole Ross,
Payton Dunham, and Harrison.
The Golden Tigers (27-7 overall) will now face Spring Hill, the No. 2 seed from the West Division, in an elimination game on Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. ET at the South Commons Softball Complex.
Tuskegee enters the matchup with confidence, having taken two out of three games from Spring Hill earlier in the regular season.
With their backs against the wall, the Golden Tigers will look to extend their season and continue their pursuit of a conference title.
How to Follow the Golden Tigers
For complete information on Tuskegee Golden Tigers Softball, visit
GoldenTigerSports.com and follow the team's social media channels on
Twitter,
Instagram and
Facebook.
