HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Alabama A&M (3-7, 0-0 SWAC) would see both ends of the spectrum as they swept a doubleheader from Division II Tuskegee (3-6, 0-0 SIAC) with a come-from-behind 6-5 victory in the opener and a 10-2 five-inning rout in the nightcap of an NCAA Division I softball twin bill on Saturday, March 13.
 
GAME 1: ALABAMA A&M 6, TUSKEGEE 5
Facing a team from the Division II ranks that had played five of their seven games against Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) opponents, and won three of them, the Bulldogs faced a challenge early on.
 
The Golden Tigers built a run in the first inning behind an error, stolen base, groundout and a sac fly by Kayla Wright before A&M responded in a big way in the home half of the second. A leadoff double to left center by freshman designated player Esperanza Coe (Beaumont, Calif.) got things started and was followed by a single by sophomore third baseman Taylor Woods (Decatur, Ala.).
 
Following a passed ball and a fielding error that left the bases loaded with no one out, junior pitcher Alyssa Lopez (San Leandro, Calif.) helped her own cause and doubled deep to centerfield to give the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead. A wild pitch and a sacrifice bunt by senior second baseman Dorian Edwards (Cobb County, Ga.) then made it 4-1 before TU got out of the inning.
 
Despite the damage being done, the Golden Tigers were not done – it would just take until the fifth inning for them to get anything going. When they did, they benefited from three errors to go with a pair of hits to produce a pair of runs to cut it to 4-3. Kaitlyn Scruggs singled home a run and then eventually came home on an error.
 
The following inning would see Scruggs factor in the scoring again with another single and a second run would cross home plate on an error to come all the way back and take a 5-4 lead. It would last an inning but it wouldn't last all the way as Alabama A&M had a rally in their bones.
 
That would come in the bottom of the seventh as junior first baseman Rachael McKinney (Birmingham, Ala.) singled to center, Lopez was hit by a pitch and Edwards singled to first to load the bases. A single to short by senior outfielder Ariel McAtee (Smyrna, Tenn.) then tied it as freshman Faith Cross (Pulaski, Tenn.,), who had pinch run, knotted things up at 5-5.
 
Junior centerfielder Olivia Simon (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) then came through with a ball to second that she beat out for the game-winning RBI in a thrilling 6-5 victory.
 
Lopez led the way for the Bulldogs as she went 1-for-2 with a double, two runs and a pair of RBIs while hurling all seven innings in the circle. With the latter, she scattered eight hits while allowing five runs, only two earned, against three strikeouts to improve to 1-3. Simon, Edwards and McAtee would each add an RBI while freshman outfielder Brianna Winchester (Lavaca, Ark.) tacked on a pair of steals to round out the top performers.
 
Scruggs delivered for the Golden Tigers as she produced a 2-for-4 day that included two RBIs, a pair of runs scored and a steal while Wright had the only other RBI. Cecelia Tennessee added a 2-for-4 outing with a run and Jada Chadwick scored a pair of runs. Ayriana Stoneback was the hard luck loser, throwing six innings and allowing nine hits, six runs (four earned) and striking out three to suffer the loss.
 
GAME 2: ALABAMA A&M 10, TUSKEGEE 2 (5 Inn.)
The nightcap would be a far different type of game as any thoughts of a pitcher's duel went out the window in an opening inning that saw a combined nine runs.
 
TU would take the early lead with a pair of runs on two hits and an error, highlighted by a Scruggs RBI double to left center before A&M would take control in the bottom of the first. That frame would see them bat around while notching seven runs on three hits and scoring four of those runs on wild pitches. They would add a fifth on a bases loaded walk to come away with a 7-2 lead.
 
From there, Coe would be in command as she retired 13 straight Tuskegee batters while the offense added to the run counter, tacking on a run in the second and a pair in the bottom of the fourth. McKinney would deliver a sac fly for the first of those and an RBI double in the fourth while Edwards brought home the last with a bunt single with two outs in that last frame.
 
Coe's streak would end one batter into the top of the fifth with a single down the right field line but she would rebound by inducing a pop up and ending it on a strikeout to close out the 10-2 victory in four and a half innings.
 
Herbranson led the Bulldogs with a 3-for-3 day that included an RBI and run scored while McKinney had a double and a pair of RBIs. Edwards went 1-for-2 with a pair of runs driven in and Coe was 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run. She was also masterful in the circle as she went all five innings, striking out five and allowing just three hits and a pair of early runs. She moves to 1-2 on the season.
 
Scruggs headlined Tuskegee's efforts with a 1-for-2 day and the only RBI for the Golden Tigers and Jasmyne Lawrence and Nina Hylton added the only other hits. Kyah Dumas did not get out of the first inning as she allowed seven runs, four earned, on two hits and five walks to pick up the loss while Stoneback pitched four innings, surrendering three runs on six hits.
 
Alabama A&M is back in action next weekend when they host Southern in a three-game set beginning on Friday, March 19. That day will be a single game at 3 p.m. with a doubleheader slated for 12 p.m. on Saturday, March 20.
 
NOTES
Tuskegee had come in with wins over SWAC opponents such as Jackson State, Alcorn State and Alabama State in their first seven games.