ALBANY, Ga. – The Tuskegee baseball team wrapped up its weekend road series against Albany State with a pair of tough losses on Saturday, falling 7-3 in the opening game of the doubleheader before dropping a nail-biting 4-3 contest in the series finale.

Despite the setbacks, the Golden Tigers showcased resilience and strong individual performances, keeping each game competitive against one of the SIAC's top programs.

Game 1: Albany State 7, Tuskegee 3
Tuskegee came out strong in the first game of the doubleheader, striking early with two runs in the top of the first inning.

James Slaughter ignited the offense with a one-out single to center field and later advanced to third after an error at first base. Ryan Morrow capitalized on the opportunity, driving in Slaughter with an infield single to put the Golden Tigers on the board.

Later in the inning, Evan Jones reached on an error by Albany State's third baseman, allowing Morrow to score and giving Tuskegee a 2-0 lead.

Albany State responded in the bottom of the second inning, manufacturing a run on a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to 2-1.

The score remained tight until the bottom of the fifth with a two-run homer to left field, pushing Albany State ahead 3-2.

Tuskegee managed to tie the game at 3-3 in the top of the sixth after Slaughter showcased his speed on the bases, stealing second and third before scoring on another Morrow single to right field.

However, Albany State took control late, scoring a decisive run in the bottom of the seventh on a solo home run, before sealing the win with a three-run eighth inning.

On the mound, Amare Morgan delivered a solid start for Tuskegee, going six innings while allowing three earned runs on five hits. Rodney Mudd II (0-1) was tagged with the loss after surrendering four runs in relief.

Offensively, the Golden Tigers collected nine hits, led by Slaughter (2-for-3, 2 runs, 2 stolen bases) and Morrow (2-for-4, 2 RBI, 1 stolen base). Chris Smith and Samarion Ward each added a hit, but Tuskegee struggled to generate runs in the late innings.

Game 2: Albany State 4, Tuskegee 3
The series finale saw another closely contested battle, with Tuskegee fighting until the final out but falling just short of completing a late comeback.

Albany State took an early lead in the bottom of the third with a sacrifice fly out to center, bringing in the game's first run.

Tuskegee responded in the fourth when Devon Lee ripped a two-run double to left field, scoring Alex Glass and John Saffold to give the Golden Tigers a 2-1 lead.

The lead was short-lived as Albany State tied the game in the bottom half of the inning, courtesy of a solo home run.

The Golden Rams then pulled ahead in the fifth, manufacturing two more runs on a sacrifice fly and another home run, extending their lead to 4-2.

Tuskegee showed grit in the top of the sixth when Lee continued his stellar performance with a single to center. He later advanced to third on two wild pitches and came home on a sacrifice fly by Austin Evans, trimming the deficit to 4-3.

In the final inning, Tuskegee's hopes of a comeback were thwarted by the Albany State bulllpen, who induced a game-ending double play after Nicholas Pratt reached on an infield single.

Lee led the offensive effort for Tuskegee, going 2-for-2 with two RBI and a double. Ryan Morrow and James Slaughter each added a hit, while Evans contributed an RBI.

On the mound, Jahsha Stevens started for Tuskegee, allowing two runs (one earned) on two hits over 3.1 innings. Isiah Jones (0-1) took the loss after allowing two runs in relief.

With the weekend sweep, Tuskegee falls to 3-8 overall and 0-3 in SIAC play. The Golden Tigers will return home next week for a non-conference matchup before resuming SIAC action with a home series against a conference rival.

How to Follow the Golden Tigers
For complete information on Tuskegee Golden Tigers Baseball, visit GoldenTigerSports.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.