BOCA RATON, Fla. ? The Tigers earned a split of their two contests on day two of the Miken Classic hosted by Florida Atlantic on Saturday. The Tigers pounded out 17 hits en route to a 17-5 win over Columbia in their first game of the day. In the nightcap Florida Atlantic scored three times in the top of the eighth inning to claim an extra innings victory over the Tigers (7-4).
Against Columbia, the Tigers held a 3-1 lead after two and a half innings of play. The Lions took back the lead with four runs in the bottom of the third inning. Chantee Dempsey had a home run in the inning for Columbia.
Towson broke out the offense in the top of the sixth by putting nine runs on the board. Sammi DiPompo and Kim Lempa had the big blows for the Tigers with RBI triples in the inning. Lindsey Kent, Mindy Bean and Erika Stasch each contributed an RBI singles as well.
Towson would add five more runs in the top of the seventh to seal the 17-5 victory. The big blow in the seventh for the Tigers came off the bat of Kent, who launched a two-run home run in the inning.
The Tigers had four players with at least two hits in the contest. DiPompo was 4-for-5 with four RBIs, four runs scored and two triples while Emily Gould and Lempa where each 3-for-5. Gould had two doubles and three runs scored while Lempa had a triple, two runs scored and two RBIs. Kent was 2-for-2 with three RBIs and two runs scored.
Dominique Ortega earned her first victory as a Tiger with 4.1 innings of scoreless relief work with two strikeouts and two hits.
While the Tigers' first game of the day had belonged to the hitters, the second game of the day belonged to the pitchers. Shannon Johnston allowed just two base runners through the first seven innings on a pair of singles. Carrie Ann Potter was equally as dominate, allowing three base runners through the first seven innings on an error and a pair of walks. In the top of the eighth, Amber Barton had a base hit to score two runs for Florida Atlantic and scored later in the inning. Towson was unable to push across run in the bottom half of the inning.
Potter picked up the win Florida Atlantic after going all eight innings and striking out five while not allowing a hit. Johnston was tagged with her first loss of the year after giving up three runs, one earned in eight innings with four strikeouts.
Blair Bodenmiller had two hits for Florida Atlantic while Barton and Brittany Walker each had an RBI.
The Tigers wrap up play at the Miken Classic on Sunday, March 8 when they face Central Michigan at 9 a.m.
