TUSKEGEE, Ala. — The Tuskegee softball team battled a Division I opponent on Wednesday afternoon, splitting a non-conference doubleheader against Alabama A&M at the TU Softball Field. The Golden Tigers earned a 6-0 victory in the opener before falling 8-7 in a tightly contested second game.
 
With the split, Tuskegee showed resilience against the Bulldogs, combining timely offense and strong pitching in Game 1 before nearly completing a dramatic comeback in Game 2.
 
Tuskegee 6, Alabama A&M 0
In the first game of the afternoon, Tuskegee jumped out to an early advantage and never looked back. The Golden Tigers plated four runs in the opening inning to take immediate control of the contest.
 
Kenya Tatum delivered the first big swing of the day with an RBI double to left field that allowed Alarryn Beckley to score. Taneah Gibbons followed with a groundout that brought home another run before Martha Hurt added a two-run single to right field to cap the four-run frame.
 
Tuskegee extended its lead in the sixth inning when Tatum struck again, launching a two-run home run to center field that pushed the Golden Tigers ahead 6-0.
 
At the plate, Tuskegee recorded 11 hits in the victory. Tatum led the offensive effort, going 2-for-4 with a double, a home run and three RBIs. Teneah Gibbons also had a strong performance with two hits and three RBIs, while Tamiya Martin added two hits and scored twice.
 
In the circle, Monica Rose delivered a dominant performance, tossing a complete-game shutout. Rose allowed just one hit across seven innings while striking out five and walking one to earn the win.

Alabama A&M managed only a single hit in the game, coming from Kali Austerman, as Tuskegee's defense limited the Bulldogs to just five runners left on base.
 
Alabama A&M 8, Tuskegee 7
The second game of the doubleheader proved to be a back-and-forth battle that came down to the final inning.
 
Alabama A&M jumped ahead early, scoring three runs in the second inning and adding another in the third to take a 4-0 lead.
 
Tuskegee responded in the third inning when Gibbons lifted a sacrifice fly to score Martin. Martin then drove in two runs in the fourth with a single to center field, cutting the deficit to 4-3.
 
After the Bulldogs extended the lead with a run in the fifth and three more in the sixth to make it 8-4, the Golden Tigers rallied in the bottom of the sixth. Gibbons delivered an RBI single that scored Payton Dunham before Beckley scored on a passed ball to trim the margin. Tuskegee added another run during the inning to make it 8-6.
 
The Golden Tigers continued the comeback attempt in the seventh inning when Martha Hurt reached on an error that allowed Kaitlyn Fletcher to score, pulling Tuskegee within one run at 8-7. However, Alabama A&M was able to record the final out and escape with the win.
 
Tuskegee finished the game with seven hits. Martin led the offense, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Fletcher also had two hits, while Hurt and Gibbons each drove in a run.
 
For Alabama A&M, Kali Austerman had a strong outing at the plate with two hits and three RBIs, including a two-run home run. Rayven Ramos added two hits and an RBI, while Arianna Montiel contributed two hits as well.
 
In the circle, Jordan Garcia took the loss for Tuskegee, while McKenna Furnari earned the win for the Bulldogs after allowing four runs across five innings, while Josefina Lacalle pitched the final two innings to secure the save.
 
Up Next
Tuskegee will return to action next week as the Golden Tigers compete in the SIAC Crossover Tournament at Bill Noble Park in Hoover, Alabama. The event will run from March 10 through March 12.
 
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.
  Read Full Article