COLUMBUS, Ga. —
Lane and
Spring Hill are championship bound after an intense semifinal round of action in the 2024 Cricket SIAC Softball Championship Tournament at South Commons Softball Complex.
GAME 9 | (4W) MILES VS. (2E) EDWARD WATERS
Edward Waters (36-15, 18-6 SIAC), the No. 2 seed in the east division, secured a 9-2 victory over the east division's No. 4 seed,
Miles (12-28, 8-14), Tuesday.
Strong defensive plays across the field kept the game scoreless in the early innings. Edward Waters' senior
Jade Mention, the Tigers' breakthrough player in the third inning, recorded a double to left center, bringing in the first run of the game.
The Tigers would extend their lead in the fifth inning with a four-run burst, highlighted by a
Katie Goodin single.
Miles experienced a short-lived victory in its rally attempts, recording one run in the fifth and sixth innings, but the margin proved too wide for the Golden Bears.
The Tigers would finish the game with a solid inning, adding another run to their tally.
Notable performances included multiple RBIs by the Tigers' Jade Mention and pivotal plays by Katie Goodin in the fifth inning.
Kiara Cobb and
Jada McCalebb led Miles' efforts. Cobb scored a run and drove in another with a key RBI single in the sixth inning, bringing the score to 8-2. McCalebb secured vital scoring positions in the contest, reaching base due to an Edward Waters throwing error and stealing second.
Edward Waters would finish the contest with nine runs, 10 hits and no errors, advancing to the tournament's twelfth game, where they would face the top contender in the east, Spring Hill (24-19, 22-0 SIAC).
GAME 10 | (1W) SPRING HILL VS. (1E) FORT VALLEY STATE
Spring Hill (24-19, 22-0 SIAC), the No. 1 contender in the west division, secured a commanding 9-1 victory over
Fort Valley State (31-16, 20-4 SIAC), the east division's No. 1 seed.
A quiet first inning took a quick turn in the second as Spring Hill rallied for nine runs, capitalizing on a series of Fort Valley State errors.
The contest saw two RBI doubles by sophomore
McKenzie King and a
Bailey Cox triple, driving the score amid the Wildcats' defensive missteps.
A
Laila Leverett RBI double gave the Wildcats an opening in the first inning, but subsequent innings saw a series of missed opportunities to recover from the early deficit.
The Badgers' defense held strong, containing Fort Valley State's attempts to rally with no hits after the first inning.
With the win, the Badgers would advance to the tournament's twelfth game, rivaling the east division's No. 2 seed, Edward Waters (36-15, 18-6 SIAC).
GAME 11 | (3W) LANE VS. (2W) TUSKEGEE
Lane (31-13, 14-8 SIAC), the No. 3 seed in the west division, emerged victorious with a 2-0 win over
Tuskegee (29-20, 17-5 SIAC), the No. 2 seed in the west division.
The first inning set the tone for the Dragons' victory as freshman catcher
Aspyn Beattie scored the opening run. A
Kaylee Stinnett RBI would follow, bringing the score to an early 2-0.
The score remained final as both teams struggled to capitalize on their numerous opportunities.
Lane's solid fielding and strategic pitching halted Tuskegee's efforts to rally and significantly contributed to the shutout victory.
The Dragons advance to championship play Wednesday, where the team will face the No. 1 contender in the west division, Spring Hill (24-19, 22-0 SIAC).
GAME 12 | (2E) EDWARD WATERS VS. (1W) SPRING HILL
Spring Hill (24-19, 22-0 SIAC), the No. 1 seed in the west division, emerged victorious in a decisive 6-1 win over the No. 2 seed in the east division, Edward Waters (36-15, 18-6 SIAC).
Spring Hill established an early lead as sophomore
Amanda Glowacki batted in freshman outfielder,
Oscha Carter for the team's first run.
An Edward Waters fielding error in the third would allow Spring Hill to continue its lead, driving in two additional runs and a Bailey Cox score.
The Tigers struggled to answer, managing only one run in the sixth when junior
Laura Scott recorded an RBI single through the left, driving in senior
Caitlynne Lamug.
The Badgers would continue to capitalize on their offensive opportunities, adding runs in the fifth and seventh innings and closing the game with a strong defensive showing, leaving Edward Waters with a loss.
Notable contributors included
Rycca Hinton and
Meadow Villar, each securing RBI-producing hits.
Spring Hill would advance to the evening's final contest, where the Badgers would face the west division's No. 2 seed, Tuskegee (29-20, 17-5 SIAC).
GAME 13 | (2W) TUSKEGEE VS. (1W) SPRING HILL
Spring Hill (24-19, 22-0 SIAC), the No. 1 seed in the west division, clinched a 6-3 victory over Tuskegee (29-20, 17-5 SIAC), the west division's No. 2 seed.
Spring Hill's strategic plays and solid defense set the tone early as the Badgers capitalized on the Golden Tiger's errors and demonstrated strong batting in the crucial moments.
Notable performances included the Badger's Oscha Carter, who scored and advanced to third on a Tuskegee error. Senior
Emily Phillips drove in key runs to widen the margin.
Tuskegee’s
Aaliyah Byrd would hit a crucial triple in the seventh to bring in a run, but despite a spirited effort, the Tigers struggled to convert opportunities.
Spring Hill would maintain its lead, keeping errors at a minimum and maximizing scoring.
The Badgers advance to championship play Wednesday, rivaling the No. 3 seed in the west division, Lane (31-13, 14-8 SIAC).
The 2024 Cricket SIAC Softball Championship Tournament continues tomorrow, with championship play beginning at 1 p.m. ET. Visit the
championship webpage and follow the SIAC on
Facebook,
Instagram and
X (formerly known as Twitter) for updates!
About the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC)
The SIAC is a NCAA athletic conference consisting primarily of historically black colleges and universities with headquarters in downtown Atlanta, Georgia. The SIAC includes 15 member institutions (Albany State University, Allen University, Benedict College, Central State University, Clark Atlanta University, Edward Waters University, Fort Valley State University, Kentucky State University, Lane College, LeMoyne-Owen College, Miles College, Morehouse College, Savannah State University, Spring Hill College, and Tuskegee University), which are located within a contiguous seven-state footprint (Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee and Ohio). The SIAC sponsors seven men's and six women's sports and is a proud member of the NCAA Division II. For more information, visit
www.thesiac.com.