TSU Tigers Sweep Saint Louis; Will Face Arkansas-Pine Bluff for Title

Courtesy: Sam Jordan/TSU Athletics

Kate and Shea Morris help propel Tigers over Saint Louis

 

All games can be seen LIVE on OVCDigitalNetwork.com.

 

NASHVILLE, Tennessee --  Tennessee State used the same recipe to sweep Saint Louis on day two of the 2014 Tiger Invitational. The Tigers set them up and the Morris twins set them down. Kate Morris picked up key RBI hits in each game, while Shea Morris closed out both games with saves.  

The Tigers thwarted a Billiken comeback in game one for a 4-3 win to close out pool play undefeated. TSU closed out day two action with a 3-0 shutout in the first round of bracket play. The two wins secure a spot on the championship game, as they improve to 11-15. SLU falls to 8-7. 

The Tigers used a four-run fourth inning to take control of game one. Kate Morris stepped to the plate with bases loaded and came through with a big double for the second straight game. Morris drove the ball into left center allowing the speedy Kiarra Freeman to charge around the bases right behind Lindsey Burgess and Liz Stansberry. 

Stansberry led off the inning with a hit, ahead of the second double of the game by Burgess. Freeman earned a walk to set up the Morris gaper. 

The Tigers upped the lead to 4-0 as Rebbekka Gross singled to center to push home Morris from second base. 

Hannah St. Clair worked out of a bases loaded jam in the first and settled in to retire 10 of the next 11 batters. Saint Louis would get to the freshman hurler in the fifth, as they used a two-run home run and an RBI double to get with in a run of the Tigers. 

St. Clair made way for Shea Morris who entered in the top of the fifth with the tying run on second. Morris would catch Elizabeth Everingham looking to end the threat. The junior would shut down the Billikens over the final two innings with four strikeouts to earn her third save of the season. 

St. Clair acquired her second consecutive win in as many games and is now 2-3. 

In the night cap, the Tigers pounced for two runs in the third. Kate Morris delivered an RBI hit with a drive through the left side of the infield to score Burgess from second. On the play, SLU tried to throw out Freeman at third, but the throw ended up in left field. Freeman wasted no time, as she sprinted home to give TSU an early 2-0 lead. 

Burgess added to the lead as she blasted a solo home run to right field with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning, making the score 3-0. 

Shea Morris entered in the top of the fifth with two outs and runners on second and third. In a repeat of the first game, Morris was able to strikeout a Billiken hitter to avoid any damage. Morris replaced starter Olivia Gamache, who went the first 4.2 innings keeping the Billikens off the board as she scattered four hits and three walks. Gamache fanned five as she earned the win and improved to 3-6. 

Morris held SLU hitless during her time in the circle and struck out five of the seven batters she faced to earn her fourth save of the season. It was the second on the day and third of the tournament. The save is the seventh in her career, making her the all-time leader in saves in TSU history. 

Burgess finished the day 4-for-6 with two doubles and a home run. Kate Morris recorded four RBI on the day. 

The final of the Invitational will consist of the consolation game at 11:00 a.m. between Saint Louis and North Carolina A&T. The Tigers will face Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the championship game at 1:15pm. All games can be seen on OVCDigitalNetwork.com.

BOX SCORE GAME 1

BOX SCORE GAME 2

COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION