Title image via Reginald Christian
Courtesy of Albany State Sports Information
13
PAINRR~1
14
Winner ASU
| Team | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|
| PAINRR~1 | 13 | 8 | 2 |
| ASU | 14 | 22 | 4 |
W: MURPHY, TRISTA (2-2) L: M. Cagle (2-2)e
ALBANY, Ga. – It was an afternoon that kept Lady Rams fans on the edge of softball field bleachers. Albany State put together two furious Wednesday afternoon softball comebacks and swept a pair of high-scoring contests from Paine College, 14-13 in eight innings and 9-8.
In the opener, Albany State came back from giving up eight runs in Paine College’s first at bat by scoring 10 runs of its own through the fourth through sixth three frames. The Lady Rams, though needed a Tiana McFarland seventh-inning sac fly to tie, before Trista Murphy drove home Madison Hurt in the home extra-inning eight for the 14-13 final.
Trailing 7-2 going to the bottom of the fifth of the late game, ASU wore out the Paine pitchers to the tune of nine hits, all singles, and five players driving in teammates as part of a seven-run at bat for a 9-7 lead. The Lions (6-8) tried to send the action to extra innings for the second time of the day, as they saw one runner run home on a passed ball on two hits, but could get no more in the 9-8 final.
The two ASU victories pushed its win streak to six games after it went 5-1 last weekend against five different CIAA opponents.
“It was a resilient effort of the part of the ladies today,” remarked head coach Jason Bryant. It would have been really easy to roll over and quit but these ladies just kept fighting, having fun and staying confident. I am very proud of them!!”
Of the 36-hit attack, Hurt and Keyatta Ayers were nearly impossible to keep off the base paths at the top of the lineup. Hurt was 5 for 5 with four runs, an RBI and two stolen bases in the first game, before she went 2 for 4 with another run late. Ayers was nearly as good with a 4 for 4 effort with three runs and two walks in game one and she also was 2 for 4 with a RBI and a run in the second affair.
Trista Murphy earned the cleanup hitter title as she was 5 for 6 in the first game with five RBI on a two-run home run, a two-run single, the game-winning RBI hit and two other singles with a run scored. The junior was a perfect 3 for 3 with a run in game two.
Along with the three standouts, both Olivia Mason and Ty’Janae Brown each recorded three hits. Mason drove in three runners and Brown scored three times, had one RBI and two stolen bases.
Romona McLeod earned the opening win where she logged seven innings of work, allowed five hits, one earned run and three strikeouts. Kaliyah Smith went the distance in the late contest and fanned seven.
Game 1
After the biggest run outburst of the day of eight from the Lions, including a three-run home run, ASU answered in the home first. Mason lined a two-run single to cut the home deficit to 8-2.
Following 2.5 scoreless frames, the Lady Rams saw McLeod clear the bases with a 3-run double before she would touch home on the next hitter when Murphy belted a 2-run homer for an 8-7 tally. Murphy added a two-run single in the fifth and Hurt drove in one as part of a 3-run sixth for a then 12-10 home edge.
Paine retook the advantage with three unearned runs on a pair of home errors in the top of the seventh, 13-12. McFarland tied the contest in the home seventh with a sac fly before Murphy drove in her fifth teammate on a one-out single for the 14-13 final.
Game 2
Behind 5-0, Emaria Banks and De’Laynie Hollis lined back-to-back RBI singles in the second for a 5-2 score. Paine added a pair in the top of the fifth, before ASU had its biggest at bat of the day. The Lady Rams sent 12 players to the plate where nine recorded singles and seven of them scored to go ahead 9-7.
The Lady Rams will now open the first Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference East 3-game series of the spring this weekend. ASU begins the three games on Saturday afternoon, Feb. 24, at Benedict College with a 2 p.m. first pitch.
Next Game: at Benedict College 2/24/2024 | 2:00 PM
Team Statistics
PITCHINGW: MURPHY, TRISTA (2-2)L: M. Cagle (2-2)
Paine College
BATTING2B: L. Y. Omori 1HR: K. Carter 1RBI: L. Y. Omori 2; K. Carter 3; M. Cagle 1; B. King 1; E. Segura 2; K. Robertson 1SF: B. King 1BASERUNNING:RUNS: A. Cobas 1; L. Y. Omori 1; K. Carter 1; Z. Harris 1; M. Jordan 1; K. Sugilio 1; L. Garcia 3; M. Cagle 1; B. King 1; E. Segura 1; K. Robertson 1SB: A. Cobas 2; L. Garcia 2; E. Segura 3; K. Robertson 1
ALBANY STATE UNIV
BATTING:2B:MCLEOD, ROMONA 1HR:MURPHY, TRISTA 1RBI:HURT, MADISON 1; MCLEOD, ROMONA 3; MURPHY, TRISTA 5; MASON, OLIVIA 2; MCFARLAND, TIANA 1SH:HURT, MADISON 1SF:MCFARLAND, TIANA 1BASERUNNING:RUNS:HURT, MADISON 4; AYERS, KEYATTA 3; MCLEOD, ROMONA 2; MURPHY, TRISTA 1; DIXON, ANIYAH 1; SMITH, KALIYAH 1; BROWN, TY’JANAE2SB:HURT, MADISON 2; SMITH, KALIYAH 1; BROWN, TY’JANAE1
