COLUMBIA, S.C. – Deyonce Lewis hit a two-run single in the bottom of the seventh as the Benedict College Lady Tigers rallied to take a 13-12 victory over Columbia International University in the first game of a non-conference softball doubleheader on Thursday at Tiger Field.

Columbia International got a strong pitching performance from Mary Esterak in the second game as the Lady Rams held Benedict to one hit in a 7-0 victory.

Benedict goes to 8-7 on the season.

The Lady Tigers trailed 9-5 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning of the first game. Ajah Gaston led off the bottom of the sixth with a single and advanced to third on a pair of wild pitches. Gaston stole home on a double steal with Daisha Mitchell. Miyah Rogers doubled to the gap in left-center field to score Mitchell to cut the lead to 9-7.

The Lady Rams added three runs in the top of the seventh to push their lead to 12-7, thanks to a two-run homer.

Deneisha Wooten started the comeback in the bottom of the seventh with a lead-off homer to center field. Taylor Wilson and Mitchell walked, then Rogers hit a one-out single to score Wilson and make it 12-9. With the bases loaded and one out, Taylor McNeal slapped a single up the middle to score two runs. That brought up Lewis, who singled to right field to score the tying and game-winning run.

Rogers went 4-for-4 with 3 RBIs, while McNeal went 3-for-5 with three RBIs. Lewis also picked up the pitching win to improve to 4-3.

Rogers had Benedict's only hit in the second game, a sharp single to left field in the fifth inning.

The game was billed as a unity game, to celebrate Black History Month. Both teams wore black and white shirts, with quotes from Martin Luther King Jr. on the back.

Benedict is back in action on Monday with a road game at Johnson C. Smith in Charlotte.