ORLANDO, Fla. – The Towson University softball team split a pair of games at the Citrus Classic on Friday afternoon. The Tigers defeated Miami (OH), 8-4, after falling, 9-0, to the University of Alabama Birmingham (UAB) in their first game of the day.
 
Towson senior pitcher Missy McCormick pitched her third complete game of the season against the RedHawks. She recorded six strikeouts and allowed only two walks in seven innings.
 
The Tigers got their offense going early in the game, scoring three runs in the first inning. Second baseman Hailey Balk reached on an error and advanced to second after left fielder Olivia Yarbrough walked. McCormick then crushed a three-run homer to give Towson an early lead.
 
Towson added three more runs in the third inning to go up 6-0. Yarbrough scored on a double by third baseman Holiday Cahill and then Cahill came in on a RedHawk throwing error. McCormick capped the big inning by scoring on a Cati Barber sacrifice fly to make it 6-0.
 
Miami got on the board in the fourth inning as Bree Lipscomb hit a two-run homer to cut Towson's lead to 6-2.
 
The Tigers added their seventh run of the game in the fifth inning after Barber doubled down the line to get on base. She would score off a single by Yarbrough.
 
In the seventh inning, Towson added another insurance run as McCormick hit a leadoff double and was brought in on a fielder's choice as Miami attempted to throw her out at the plate.
 
The RedHawks would score two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning but would get no closer.
 
In the first game of the day, Towson had its offense silenced by UAB's Madison Hir, who threw all five innings and gave up just one hit. She struck out four Tigers and walked three.
 
The Blazers broke the game open in the second inning, sending 14 players to the plate while plating eight runs.
 
UAB shortstop Caitlin Attfield had a team-high two runs scored, including the game's opening run in the first inning. Seven other players recorded runs for UAB while Attfield and centerfielder/shortstop Amy Waters led the team with two hits and two RBIs.
 
Tiger freshman pitcher Megan Dejter allowed nine runs on eight hits in 1.2 innings pitched. She struck out two batters and gave up two walks.
 
Freshman Olivia Baltazar came on in relief action and was strong for the Tigers. She walked just two of the 10 batters she faced and did not give up a hit or run in the final 2.1 innings of the game.
 
Towson designated player Macie McGeehan was the only Tiger to record a hit in the game, continuing her two-game hitting streak.
 
First baseman Ambar Hickman led the Tigers' defensive efforts with a team-high seven putouts.
 
Towson will be back in action tomorrow to wrap up action at the Citrus Classic. The Tigers will battle Columbia at 1:15 pm before facing Northern Iowa at 3:30 pm.


-TowsonTigers.com-