By: Brian Howard, Sports Information Director
Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. | The Grambling State University softball team picked up two victories over Langston University and Texas College to open play at the HBCU Classic. The Lady Tigers won the first game of the day, 8-5, over Langston and defeated Texas College, 10-2 in five innings, to complete Friday's action.
In the opener against Langston, Grambling State (5-10) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning and added to the advantage with a four-run third inning.
With one down in the frame,
Tia Coleman reached on an infield hit and scored on
Allye Hartley's two-out double to right center.
Hailey Haynes followed with a double to center to plate Hartley.
Versace Hicks-Butler drew a walk and
Tiffany Doss singled through the left side to load the bases. After a pitching change,
Monique Smith singled to right to plate Hicks-Butler and Haynes as the Lady Tigers built a 6-0 lead.
Langston cut the deficit to 6-1 with one run in the fourth and 6-5 with a four-run fifth. However, Grambling State plated two runs in the sixth as Coleman drove in
Kenyshae Beasley and Smith to give the Lady Tigers an 8-5 lead.
In the second game against Texas College, the Lady Tigers struck for two runs in the first and a run in the second to take a 3-1 lead into the fourth.
The Lady Steers cut the margin to 3-2 with one run in the top half of the fourth, but Grambling State put the game away with a six-run inning in the bottom of the frame. The Lady Tigers were patient in the frame with seven walks and took advantage of two errors to put six runs on the board.
Grambling State got the victory by scoring one run in the bottom of the fifth to defeat Texas College.
Inside the Numbers
* In the opener, Grambling State scored eight runs on 12 hits and left six on base
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Monique Smith paced the Lady Tigers offense by going 3-for-3 with three runs batted in.
*
Tia Coleman,
Allye Hartley and
Hailey Haynes each recorded two hits.
*
Kenyshae Beasley,
Mercedes Williams and
Tiffany Doss registered one hit apiece.
*
Caitlin McDowell picked up the win in seven innings of work. She gave up five runs (four unearned) on seven hits, with four strikeouts and one walk.
* In the second game, Grambling State plated 10 runs on just three hits and left seven stranded on base.
*
Kenyshae Beasley,
Tayler Lenz-Selvera and
Hailey Haynes each recorded one hit.
*
D'Maria Matthews picked up the victory as she surrendered two runs on six hits and fanned three in five innings of action.
Up Next
Grambling State concludes play at the HBCU Classic with two games on Saturday as the Lady Tigers meet Lincoln (Mo.) at 8:30 a.m., followed by the final game of the day against Langston at 12:30 p.m.
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