SAVANNAH, Ga. – Tuskegee baseball dropped both games of a Saturday afternoon doubleheader on the road against SIAC foe Savannah State, falling 11-1 in game one and 13-7 in game two at Tiger Field.
 
With the pair of losses, the Golden Tigers fall to 12-23 overall and 8-15 in SIAC play, while Savannah State improves to 20-9 on the season and 17-6 in league competition.
 
Savannah State 11, Tuskegee 1 (7 innings)
Savannah State came out swinging in the series opener, putting up a five-run first inning to take early control.
 
The home team capitalized on three walks, two singles, and a two-run double by Marcus Scott to jump ahead 5-0 before Tuskegee could record an out.
 
They added another run in the second before blowing the game open with five more in the third to push the score to 11-0.
 
Tuskegee got on the board in the fifth inning, as John Saffold scored the lone run of the game for the Golden Tigers. Devon Lee was responsible for the RBI with a sacrifice fly.
 
Tuskegee struggled to find offensive rhythm throughout the game, managing just three hits as Savannah State's pitching staff combined for six strikeouts and allowed only one walk.
 
Mikelle Mason (L, 5-6) took the loss after allowing six earned runs over two innings.
 
The Golden Tigers also committed a pair of errors in the game, while Savannah State played clean defensively.
 
SSU's Caleb Henry earned the win, allowing one unearned run across five innings.
 
Savannah State 13, Tuskegee 7
In the second game of the twin bill, the Golden Tigers' bats came alive, but it wasn't enough to counter another explosive performance from the Savannah State offense.
 
After falling behind 5-0 in the first, Tuskegee stormed back in the second inning with a five-run frame of their own.
 
Scott Williams delivered an RBI single to left field, and a bases-loaded walk drawn by Elijah Jones plated another.
 
Saffold added a sacrifice fly, while a wild pitch and an RBI single by Nicholas Pratt tied the game at 5-5.
 
Savannah State briefly reclaimed the lead in the third inning with a run scored on a wild pitch.
 
Tuskegee tied it once more in the sixth on an RBI single to left from Saffold, scoring James Stevens.
 
However, Savannah State erupted again in the bottom of the frame, putting up a seven-run outburst capped by a pair of RBI doubles, as well as a two-run single to make it 13-6.
 
Jacobi Brooks doubled in a run in the top of the seventh for Tuskegee, but the Golden Tigers couldn't mount a full comeback.
 
Tuskegee totaled 10 hits in the contest, led by a pair of hits each from Stevens, Glass, and Saffold. The team added two stolen bases and turned two double plays defensively.
 
Despite the offensive spark, Tuskegee pitching struggled with command, allowing 12 walks and six wild pitches.
 
Rodney Mudd II was tagged for five runs without recording an out in the first inning, and Mason (L, 5-6) allowed eight runs over 5.1 innings of work. Lee pitched the final two-thirds of an inning in relief.
 
Savannah State made the most of their seven hits, scoring 13 runs and drawing 12 free passes at the plate. The Tigers' bullpen limited damage in the final innings to secure the series-opening sweep.
 
Up Next
Tuskegee will look to bounce back and salvage the series finale on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET in Savannah.
 
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