COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Benedict College softball team pounded out 17 hits to cruise to a 20-6 five-inning victory over Allen University in a SIAC contest at King Park on Friday afternoon.
The Lady Tigers scored five runs in the first inning and never looked back. They had a 10-2 lead after the top of the third inning, but Allen scored four runs in the bottom of the third to cut the lead to 10-6. Benedict scored five runs in the fourth and five more in the fifth to put the game away.
Heaven Strickland went 4-for-5 at the plate with a double and triple and drove in seven runs.
Shamaria Dupree went 4-for-4 with two RBIs and scored five runs.
Ariah Smith went 2-for-2 with two RBIs and scored four runs.
Taylor Gilbert went 2-for-3 with an RBI and scored three runs.
Alexis Gatlin had a pair of hits with an RBI and a run scored, while
Alaina Harvey had two hits with a run scored and picked up the pitching win, working all five innings and scattering seven hits.
Benedict (10-29 overall and 5-17 in the SIAC) and Allen (3-29 overall, 1-21 in the SIAC) will complete their SIAC series with a doubleheader on Saturday, starting at 1 p.m. at King Park.
