ALBANY, Ga. – It was a near perfect Lady Ram Friday afternoon. Albany State allowed only a single unearned run and scored 21 of its own to swat Allen University in a pair of run-rule softball games, 9-1 and 12-0 in five innings each.
Leading 4-1 going to the home fifth of the opener, ASU received three-straight singles from Trista Murphy, Morgan Baker and Olivia Mason to load the bases. De'Layne Hollis laced a two-run double to follow and Tiana McFarland lofted a sac fly. Madison Hurt ended the game with a single down and scored Ravon Dunham for the 9-1 final.
After Allen went down in order in the second of the late contest, ASU recorded its first of three scoring frames in a row. The Lady Rams plated the first two scores on a passed ball and two wild pitches before Romona McLeod helped her own cause with a RBI single for a 4-0 score. Then with a 5-0 edge, the home team posted its biggest at bat in the fourth. Keyatta Ayers singled home Hurt and McLeod doubled. With one out, Baker and Hollis added back-to-back run-scoring singles before Brown belted a bases-clearing three-run double. Ayers finished the seven-run outburst by driving Brown in with a single.
Murphy and McLeod logged the 10 innings in the circle where the two pitchers gave up a combined nine hits without an earned run and struck out nine. Murphy gave up three hits and one walk compared to six strikeouts, while McLeod saw Allen have six hits and fanned three. At the plate they both helped their own causes, Murphy was 2 for 2 in the opener with a run, two RBI and a sac fly, while McLeod was 3 for 4 when she was pitching late with a RBI double.
Hurt and Ayers did their job at the top of the ASU lineup. Hurt led off to a tune of 4 for 6 with two runs, a double, one RBI and three stolen bases. Ayers was 4 for 4 in the twinbill with three runs, two RBI, two stolen bases and three free passes.
Jasmine Russell sliced a pair of late doubles with two runs, while Hollis doubled and singled with three runs and four RBI. Baker chipped in a pair of singles with two runs and one driven in, while Brown recorded four RBI in the second game, including a 3-run double. Dunham had two hits and two runs to start the day and Brielle Thompson rounded out the offense with a single and a stolen base.
Game 1
After she struck out two and set the Yellow Jackets down in order in the top of the first, Murphy drove in the team's second run on a single and Hollis lofted a sac fly. Hurt started the at bat with a double and stole second. Murphy also drove in the second-inning run with her own sac fly to make it 4-1.
ASU and Allen completes the 3-game SIAC series on Saturday, April 13, starting at 1 p.m.
