COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Lady Rams continued their torrid hitting Saturday afternoon. Albany State's bats worked overtime and pounded a pair of softball wins over Benedict College, 17-2 and 8-0 in run-rule fashion.

ASU (11-5/2-0 SIAC East) wasted no time and scored more runs in its first at bat than many teams scored in a doubleheader combined. The Lady Rams sent 20 players to the plate and scored 14 of them on 11 hits for a 14-run top of the first. Benedict did power up two runs on a home run in the home first, but the visitors added a pair in the third and one more in the fourth for the going away win.

Romona McLeod shut down the Tigers in the late game. The Lady Ram pitcher fired a two-hit complete-game shutout with two strikeouts. Madison Hurt stole four bases and Trista Murphy drove in four runners, while Olivia Mason belted a two-run round-tripper.

On the day, Hurt continued to spark the lineup with five hits, three runs and two stolen bases. Along with her pitching shutout, McLeod was 3 for 4 in the opener. Murphy produced a pair of 2 for 3 games to finish 4 for 6 with three doubles and six runs batted in. Raven Dunham drove in four including having an inside the park home run of her three hits in game one. Mason completed her day a 2-run home run, a single and four RBI while Morgan Brown logged a 3 for 5 day with a pair of doubles, four runs scored and two RBI. 

After 17 runs in the first game, ASU waited until the third inning to get on the scoreboard of the late game. The visitors put three runs across in that at bat on only three hits, but had three Tiger errors. ASU extended the lead to 8-0 with five more in the fourth frame when Brown doubled in a pair before Mason homered to add two more in a five-run trip at the plate and 8-0 lead. 

ASU goes for the three-game sweep on Sunday afternoon (Feb. 25) in a 1 p.m. single game against Benedict College.