title image via Tennessee State Softball
Courtesy of Stephen Featherston, Director of Communications, Tennessee State University
Box Score 1HONOLULU, O’ahu – The Tennessee State softball team (8-9) closed its trip to Hawaii by advancing to the championship game of the Spring Fling Tournament after picking up a 3-2 win over the University of Hawaii in extra innings on Saturday afternoon. TSU took on Loyola Marymount in the championship game this evening and fell 10-1. The Tigers finished their trip to the Island 2-3 and as the runner-up in the winner’s bracket.
TSU 3, Hawaii 2 | Eight innings
Quiet through the first three innings, TSU plated the first run of the game as Anayah Baker-Rowell hit a sac fly to score Laila Armstrong who reached on a leadoff walk. Armstrong was able to get into scoring position on a Peyton Fointno single to right field.
Hawaii would score on a solo shot in the bottom of the fifth, just one of two hits that starting pitcher Reina Castillo allowed against the Rainbow Warriors. Both teams would plate a run a piece in the seventh inning to force extras. Nahtali Simpson singled to shortstop that scored Baker-Rowell. Hawaii’s leadoff batter homered to start the inning, but TSU would escape the bottom of the seventh after allowing a baserunner to reach second on a double to send it to extra innings.
Playing with the international tiebreaker rule, Onnika Spencer was placed on second base to start the inning and then reached third on a sac bunt from Jasmine Blackburn. Rylie Giddenswas able to plate Spencer as the eventual winning run on a sac fly to center.
Holly Ayala picked up the win after coming out of the bullpen to pitch the eighth. She allowed no runs and no hits in her lone inning to secure the win for the Tigers. Castillo had a dominant showing in the circle as she pitched 7.0 innings and only allowed two runs on five hits while walking none.
LMU 10, TSU 1 | Six Innings
With their win over Hawaii in game one, TSU was able to advance to the Championship game of the tournament to face LMU for the second time in the tournament. TSU was looking for revenge but struggled offensively as they fell 10-1 in six innings to finish as the runner-up in the winner’s bracket.
The Tigers picked up three hits in the game. Simpson finished 2-of-3, while Armstrong picked up TSU’s other base knock. Armstrong came around to score after Ryla Traylor picked up an RBI on a groundout to short.
All three of TSU’s pitchers saw action as Ayala got the start. The Texas native lasted 2.0 innings and allowed six runs on seven hits. Caitlyn Manus minimized the damage as tossed 3.0 innings and allowed just one run and two hits. Castillo pitched the final 0.1 and allowed three runs on two hits.
Three Tigers were named to the all-tournament team. Nahtali Simpson, Anayah Baker-Rowelland Onnika Spencer.
TSU will return to the Contiguous United States this week and face Detroit Mercy on Wednesday. The first pitch from Tiger Field is slated for 5:00 p.m.
