TUSKEGEE, Ala. – On a special day honoring its senior class, Tuskegee softball delivered a commanding performance at the TU Softball Field, sweeping a Saturday doubleheader over Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) rival Kentucky State.
The Golden Tigers secured a 14-1 run-rule victory in five innings in game one, followed by a 6-inning shutout 8-0 win in game two to take all three games in the final home series of the season.
With the sweep, Tuskegee improves to 22-5 overall and 17-2 in SIAC play, while the Thorobreds fall to 10-17 and 8-9 in conference play.
Tuskegee 14, Kentucky State 1 (5 Inn.)
In the first game, Tuskegee wasted no time jumping on Kentucky State early. After a scoreless first inning, the Golden Tigers erupted for four runs in the second.
Alexis Thompson drove in the opening run with an RBI groundout, and the offense followed with timely hits and aggressive baserunning, including a stolen base from
Jessica Morales and a two-run single by
Kaeley Roldan.
The third inning proved even more explosive, as Tuskegee posted a seven-run frame. The inning featured a combination of walks, errors, and productive at-bats.
Caroline Clark and Ava Merideth drew key walks, while Naturelle Strange-Lindley and
Shawna McNair contributed RBI singles.
Tuskegee capitalized on Kentucky State's defensive miscues, taking advantage of wild pitches and passed balls to extend the lead to double digits.
In the fourth, McNair added another RBI single, and
Victoria Harrison contributed a sacrifice fly.
The Golden Tigers finished the game with 14 runs on 11 hits, aided by five walks and three stolen bases.
Pitcher
Kamya Hampton was dominant in the circle once again, earning her 10th win of the season.
She threw a complete five-inning game, allowing only two hits and one unearned run while striking out four.
Tuskegee 8, Kentucky State 0 (6 Inn.)
In the series finale, Tuskegee capped off Senior Day with another statement performance, led by a no-hit shutout from senior ace
Monica Rose.
The veteran right-hander was in complete control, tossing six innings of no-hit softball, striking out three and walking just two to improve to 12-2 on the season.
After being held scoreless through two innings, the Golden Tigers broke through in the third with three runs.
Morales got the scoring started with an RBI single, followed by a two-run double off the bat of Merideth.
Tuskegee added four more runs in the fourth behind disciplined plate appearances and key RBIs from
Kaelyn Hardrick and
Tamiya Martin.
Clark also scored twice, while Strange-Lindley added pressure on the basepaths with a stolen base and aggressive baserunning.
The Golden Tigers sealed the game with a run in the bottom of the sixth when Martin drew a walk, advanced on a stolen base, and came around to score on a well-placed ground ball.
Rose retired the side in the top of the sixth to close the game early via run-rule.
Across the three-game series, Tuskegee outscored Kentucky State 24-1 and recorded back-to-back shutouts to close the weekend.
Rose and Hampton combined to allow just seven hits and one run over 17 innings, while the offense exploded for 27 hits, 24 runs, and 14 stolen bases.
Roldan, Morales, Thompson, and McNair were among the standouts at the plate, each contributing multi-hit performances during the series.
Up Next
The Golden Tigers will now turn their attention to the final stretch of the regular season, with a road trip ahead starting with a doubleheader on Thursday April 10, against Stillman.
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.
