MOBILE, Ala. - Spring Hill College finished off a three-game sweep of Tuskegee Saturday, posting 7-2 and 2-1 wins at Murray Field in a Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader.
The Badgers (16-16, 4-2) have now won five straight games since a five-game losing streak and are back to .500 overall for the 2019 campaign.
Here's a look at how it all happened:
Game 1: Spring Hill 7, Tuskegee 2
Spring Hill got all the runs it would need in the first two innings en route to another conference win.
In the bottom of the first, Delaney Thomas doubled home Elise Caruso, who reached on an error and stole second, with the game's opening run. One inning later, the Badgers took control with three more runs on four hits. Caruso and Carmen Byrd each had RBI in the frame as Spring Hill was able to take advantage of another Tuskegee (7-21, 5-5) error.
The game stayed 4-0 until the top of the sixth, when the Golden Tigers got all three of their hits to score two runs and get to within 4-2. However, Spring Hill responded with three runs of its own in the bottom half to open up a 7-2 advantage and cruise to the win. Tiffany Fairchild plated one run in the frame with an RBI double, followed by a run-scoring single from Cassidy Mehr. Aly Fowler got the final run home with a sacrifice fly that scored pinch-runner Brittany Hartung.
Byrd and Mehr each were 2-for-3 with an RBI, Thomas and Fairchild had doubles and Caruso scored twice and stole a pair of bases for Spring Hill in the opener. Baylie Doiron (2-7) was solid in the circle, going five-plus innings and allowing two runs (both earned) on two hits with one strikeout and one walk to earn the win. Morgan Kramer worked the final two innings, allowing just one hit.
Jasmyne Lawrence and Sierra Smith both had doubles for Tuskegee and Chelsea Mowery took the loss, giving up seven runs (six earned) on nine hits with one walk in six innings.
Game 2: Spring Hill 2, Tuskegee 1
The nightcap featured just three runs, but it was Hannah Brenton (7-5) who stood tall in the circle for the Badgers to help them finish off the series sweep of the Golden Tigers.
Brenton allowed just one run on seven hits with two walks and two strikeouts to pick up her second win of the series and help keep Spring Hill's recent hot streak going.
For the third straight game, the Badgers scored in the bottom of the first inning. Back-to-back two-out singles by Thomas and Hannah Fillmore put runners on first and second before Fowler singled home Thomas with the game's opening run.
A two-out single in the top of the fifth got Tuskegee its run and tied the game for the Golden Tigers, but the Badgers responded in the bottom half with what turned out to be the game winning run. With two outs, Caruso walked and stole second. Byrd walked and then Thomas singled to bring in Caruso and give Spring Hill the 2-1 lead.
Tuskegee did get runners on first and third with two out in the top of the sixth, but Brenton slammed the door with a strikeout and set down the Golden Tigers in top of the seventh to secure the win.
Thomas was 2-for-3 with an RBI and run scored, Fillmore was 2-for-3 and Fillmore had a hit and scored a run for the Badgers.
CeCe Tennessee and Kendra Gibbons were 2-for-3 for Tuskegee, which outhit Spring Hill, 7-6, in the game. Jamea Lyons took the loss, allowing two runs (both earned) on six hits with five walks in six innings of work.
Spring Hill plays again Wednesday, traveling to Clinton, Miss., to take on Mississippi College in a non-conference doubleheader. First pitch for the twinbill is set for 3 p.m.