TSU Tigers Travel to Georgia Southern for the Eagle Classic

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – The Tigers hit the road for their final non-conference tournament away from Tiger Field. TSU will take part in the three-day Eagle Classic hosted by Georgia Southern. The Tigers will face the host school to open and close the tournament. Friday will consist of a single game for TSU at 4:30pm CT versus GSU. On Saturday, the Tigers play at 10:30am versus Troy and at 12:30 against Middle Tennessee. On the final day, TSU will open with MTSU at 9:00am and close at 11:00am with the Eagles.

 

LIVE action can be heard for all TSU games on TSUTigers.com.

 

Tennessee State finished 1-4 in their first home action as they hosted the Tiger Classic. TSU picked up a 7-5 win over Temple on Saturday evening. The Tigers dropped games to Youngstown State (1-0), Western Michigan (3-2), Dayton (4-3) and Indiana State (3-0).

 

Sophomore Lindsey Burgess led the team by hitting .571 (8-of-14), while adding a double, a home run and three walks. Burgess now leads the Tigers with a .375 average. Sophomore Kiarra Freeman finished with her best weekend of the young season by picking up seven hits in 16 at bats for a .438 average.

 

Freshman Courtney Gearlds is hitting .368 and has reached base another 11 times, two walks and nine hit-by-pitches, for a team leading .510 OBP. The nine HBP’s for Gearlds has put her fourth in the TSU single season record book.

 

Junior pitcher Shea Morris has 50 strikeouts on the season to raise her career total to 435. Morris is just three away from tying Amanda Vaught, and is four away from becoming the all-time leader in Tiger history. Vaught was a member of the TSU squad from 2007-08.

 

Georgia Southern (9-4)

2013 Record: 33-30

Conference: Southern

2013 Finish: 14-9/3rd

Series Record: First Meeting

Last Time Played: N/A

Last Win: N/A

 

Sarah Purvis has fanned 43 batters in 39 innings as she leads the Georgia Southern staff with 4-2 record and a 1.08 earned run average. Brooke Red brings support to Purvis (2.05) with a 4-1 record and 27 strikeouts in 27.1 innings. Marla Thompson (1-1, 2.14) completes the staff with 13 K’s in 16.1 innings of work. Taylor Rogers was the early leader for the Eagles hitting .563 (9-for-16). Since then, Morgan Robinson, Shelby Morrill and Kourtny Thomas have sparked the hot hitting GSU offense. Averaging over four runs a game with a .281 batting average, the Eagles look to the trio to lead the charge. Robinson is batting .394, while Morrill (.355) has provided the pop with two doubles, a triple, three home runs and 10 RBI. Thomas (.314) brings added support with four bombs and 15 RBI.

 

Troy (5-8-2)

2013 Record: 21-32

Conference: Sun Belt

2013 Finish: 7-14/7th

Series Record: 0-18

Last Time Played: 3/19/13, L, 3-7

Last Win: N/A

 

Offensively, Troy is led by a trio of hitters who are .300 or better. Ebony Wright is at the top of the list batting .360 (9-for-25) and is followed closely by Erica Davis (.333) who is leading with 14 hits, half of which are doubles (7). Michelle Phelps is batting .300 and has been the main threat in run production with three longs balls and 17 RBI. Sara Mock and Jaycee Affeldt have teamed up to throw 74 of the 99 innings for Troy. Mock is 2-1 with a 1.28 ERA in 27.1 innings. Affeldt is 1-5 with a save, despite a 2.55 ERA in 46.2 innings. Affelt has been the workhorse for the Trojans starting eight games and has piled up 42 strikeouts.

 

Middle Tennessee (5-12)

2013 Record: 7-47

Conference: Conference USA

2013 Finish: 1-21/9th

Series Record: 5-39

Last Time Played: 4/21/10, L, 1-5

Last Win: 4/25/07, 5-4

 

MTSU features four hitting .300 or better, led by Laura Dukes who also leads the Blue Raiders with six doubles and 10 walks for a .517 on base percentage. Kayla Toney is hitting .300 and tops MTSU with four home runs and 13 RBI. The main speed threat has come from LaRi Mitchell (.302) who has team leading marks in runs (10) and stolen bases (8). The Blue Raiders have split their time in the circle with Jordy Fisherback (31.2 IP), Shelby Stinnett (40.1) and Caitlin McClure (41.0). Fisherback has the top ERA at 2.87 and is 2-3, while Stinnett is 1-6 with two saves and a 3.82 ERA. McClure
rounds out the staff at 2-3, 5.12.

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS