GULF SHORES, Ala. – Tennessee Southern wrapped up play at the Gulf Shores Invitational on Saturday with two victories, defeating Texas A&M–Victoria before erupting late to top Texas A&M–Texarkana.
UT Southern 9, Texas A&M–Victoria 1
Texas A&M–Victoria scored in the opening inning, but the Firehawks quickly responded. In the bottom of the second, Alaina Grace King tripled down the right-field line and Marie Bodily followed with an RBI single to center to even the score.
UT Southern broke the game open in the fourth inning. Bodily started the rally with a single before Lauren Pettie dropped down a bunt single. Hannah Lindsey moved the runners with a sacrifice, and Emory Hall reached on a fielder's choice that allowed Bodily to score. Pettie later stole home, and Haley McDaniel reached on an error that brought Hall home. Ella Singletary capped the inning with an RBI double up the middle as the Firehawks pushed the lead to 5-1.
The offense kept rolling in the fifth. Lindsey drove in a run with a single before Hall added another base hit to put two on. McDaniel then lined a double down the left-field line to score two runs, and later in the inning Cook was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in another run.
McDaniel finished with two hits, including two doubles, and two RBIs. Singletary collected two hits and drove in a run, while Bodily recorded two hits and an RBI. Pettie added two hits, Lindsey chipped in a hit and RBI, and Hall finished with a hit and RBI.
In the circle, Singletary earned the win after allowing just one run over five innings.
UT Southern 5, Texas A&M–Texarkana 2
The Firehawks closed the tournament with a dramatic seventh-inning rally.
After six scoreless innings, Texas A&M–Texarkana pushed across a run in the bottom of the sixth. UT Southern answered in the top of the seventh when Alaina Grace King singled and Carley Cook drew a walk to put two runners aboard. Marie Bodily followed with a single to load the bases before Mikayla McCain was hit by a pitch to bring home the tying run.
Kurstin Warrick then delivered the biggest swing of the game, lining a two-RBI double up the middle to give the Firehawks the lead. Hannah Lindsey followed with another double to right field to score Warrick, and Emory Hall capped the rally with an RBI single to extend the advantage to 5-1.
Lindsey finished with two hits, including a double and an RBI, while Warrick added a double and two RBIs. Hall recorded a hit and an RBI, and Bodily contributed a hit. King added a hit and scored the tying run.
Stella Gilbreath earned the win in the circle, tossing a complete game while allowing two runs.
Tennessee Southern returns to action Tuesday, March 10, traveling to Freed-Hardeman for its next matchup.
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