ROCK HILL, S.C. - The Tigers used a pair of strong performances at the plate to win both their games on Saturday at the Winthrop/Adidas Invitational in South Carolina. Towson defeated Providence 9-5 in the morning action and then posted a 9-2 victory over Eastern Kentucky.
Towson (10-3) has now won eight straight and reached 10 wins in the shortest amount of time since the 1994 team won 10 of its first eleven games that year.
"I'm really happy with how the kids responded with the bats today," said Coach Lisa Costello. "Any time you can get a couple of home runs and solid pitching it's going to be a good day."
Providence took an early lead on the Tigers as Jen Adams doubled to right field to score Katelyn Revens in the first. The Tigers responded with a pair of runs in the top of the second inning. Stef Streets led off with her second home run of the year. Later in the inning, Erika Stasch singled to drive in Mindy Bean.
Towson added to its lead in the third as Sammi DiPompo scored as Bean reached on an error by the Friars. Providence made it a 3-2 game in the bottom half of that inning as Jenna Garcia had an RBI groundout.
The Tigers got their big inning in the top of the fourth. Lindsey Kent scored on a passed ball and Kim Lempa had an RBI single. The big blow in the inning however was Streets' second home run of the game. This time it was a two-run shot and allowed her to tie the school record for home runs in a game.
In the sixth, the Tigers would tally another run on Courtney Wittner's sacrifice fly. In the seventh, Stasch connected on a home run to left field, the first home run of her career.
Providence would get three runs in the bottom of the seventh on a trio of RBI singles but that was all they would get and the Tigers claimed the 9-5 win.
Dominique Ortega earned the win in the circle for the Tigers. She improves to 3-1 after allowing five runs while striking out three. Julie Fowler took the loss for Providence after allowing three runs in one inning.
Bean, Streets and Stasch all had two hits in the game for the Tigers. Streets drove in three and scored two while Stasch had two runs scored and two RBIs.
In game two, it was Eastern Kentucky getting on the scoreboard in the first. With two outs, Ashley Dollins singled through the left side to plate Diane Gallagher.
The Tigers got their bats going in the top of the third inning. DiPompo had an RBI single before Joyce Delp drilled a three-run home run to right center. That gave Towson a 4-1 lead after two and a third innings of work.
Towson added to its lead in the fourth as Streets drew a two-out bases loaded walk. The Tigers would extend their lead to 7-1 after they batted in the top of the fifth. Andrea Stevenson had a two-out two-run double that scored Stasch who had singled and Stevie Patnode who ran for Jillian Donnelly after she reached on a base knock.
The Colonels got one run back in the bottom of the sixth. Dollins scored her second run of the game, this time on a base knock by Samm Daniels.
The Tigers would get their final two runs in the seventh as Donnelly had an RBI hit and later scored on a wild pitch.
Katie Lingmai earned the win in the circle for the Tigers to improve to 3-1 on the year. She allowed two runs on 11 hits in seven innings. Lingmai would also strike out six while not walking a batter. Mea Flores took the loss for Eastern Kentucky after allowing eight runs in four innings of relief work.
DiPompo and Donnelly each had three hits in the game while Stevenson added two. Stevenson had two runs scored and two RBIs while DiPompo and Donnelly each drove in a run and scored one as well.
Towson wraps up play at the Winthrop/Adidas Invitational on Sunday, March 14. The Tigers will face Hartford at 9 a.m. before playing Winston-Salem State at 1 p.m.
-- TIGERS --
