TIFTON – Looking to salvage a split in their Southern States Athletic Conference doubleheader Saturday with Tennessee Southern, the ABAC Fillies held a one-run lead late in Game Two before the visitors rallied for a 2-1 win.
In the opener, ABAC's bats were handcuffed by an outstanding pitching performance from Firehawk sophomore Ella Singletary, who pitched a two-hit shutout in a 5-0 UTS win.
The second game was another pitching duel between ABAC's
Addison Tyre and the Firehawks' Stella Gilbreath. The duo kept the game scoreless until the Fillies struck in the bottom of the fifth. Center fielder
Lexi Metts singled, stole second, and got to third on a single from shortstop
Kendall Fowler.
Laney McGee's fielder's choice got Fowler out at second, but Metts raced home for a 1-0 lead.
But the lead didn't last long. In the top of the sixth, the Firehawks had two outs with Singletary on second. Hanna Hill singled to move Singletary to third before Hill stole second base to put two runners in scoring position. Haley McDaniel tied the game with an RBI single before Hill raced home on a wild pitch from reliever
Chloe Stone, and that was all the offense UTS needed. ABAC threatened in the bottom of the sixth when
Carter Gore led off with a double but was stranded as Gilbreath retired the side behind her.
Metts led the way at the plate with two of ABAC's five hits.
In Game One, Singletary was masterful on the mound, allowing only two hits. Both came back-to-back in the fifth inning from Fowler and McGee with one out. But Singletary was able to get the next two outs and save the shutout. Tennessee Southern grabbed control of the opener early with three runs in the top of the first inning as Mikayla McCain and Kassidy Davis doubled in consecutive at-bats to drive all three in. Hannah Lindsey and McCain added RBI singles in the sixth to finish the damage.
The Fillies are now 7-17 overall and 5-11 in the SSAC. They will return home Tuesday for a non-conference doubleheader against Albany State beginning at 4 p.m. Their next conference action will be at home next Saturday as they host Faulkner for two games beginning at 2 p.m.
