Box Score
GULFPORT, Miss.- The Jackson State Tigers took a 2-1 lead in the second inning and never surrendered the advantage on the way to a 3-1 win against Florida A&M on Sunday to claim its second SWAC Softball Tournament title in two years.
Florida A&M’s Amari Brown doubled down the leftfield line to score Kiauna Watson to open the scoring for the game in the first inning of play.
Trailing 1-0, Jackson State first put runs on the board in the second inning. JSU's Murillo drove in two runs for the Tigers with a single, that scored Meah Almarez and Gabrielle Willis.
The Rattlers failed to push any runs across before the Tigers offense got back to their scoring ways the next inning. Gipson came across to score the lone run of the inning for Jackson State, which brought the score to 3-1 in favor of the Tigers.
The score remained 3-1 for the rest of the game, as Jackson State held on for the win.
Brooklyn Morris got the win for Jackson State as she went seven innings, giving up one run on five hits, allowing three walks and striking out one batter.
In the batter's box, the Tigers were led by Ka'Liyah Gipson, who went 1-for-3 on the day with a triple. Junior Ariana Murillo furnished a standout effort as well, going 1-for-2 with two RBIs.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- Jackson State's highest scoring inning was the second, when it pushed two runs across.
- The Tigers had control of the rest of the game after jumping ahead of the Rattlerettes 2-1 in the bottom of the second.
- Morris limited Florida A&M to just 1-for-5 (.200) with runners in scoring position.
- Gipson led the Tigers at the plate, going 1 for 3 with a triple.
- Florida A&M was led offensively by junior Amari Brown, who went 1 for 3 with a double and an RBI.
- Brown led the Rattlers pitching staff, throwing six innings of three-run ball.
All-Tournament Team
Kendall Macauley, Bethune-Cookman
Alyssa Lopez, Bethune-Cookman
Jaibriel Terrell, Alabama State
Ayana Frank, Alabama State
Keeleigh Spooner, Florida A&M
Amari Brown, Florida A&M
Zoryana Hughes, Florida A&M
Samantha Smith, Florida A&M
Ka’Liyah Gipson, Jackson State
Mari Stephens, Jackson State
Jace Jackson, Jackson State
Brooklyn Morris, Jackson State (MVP)
About the SWAC
The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is considered one of the premier HBCU conferences in the country and currently ranks among the elite in the nation in terms of HBCU alumni playing with professional sports teams.
Current championship competition offered by the league includes competition for men in Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field and Tennis.
Women’s competition is offered in the sports of Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field, Soccer, Softball, Tennis and Volleyball.
Follow the SWAC
For complete coverage of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, please follow the SWAC on social media at @TheSWAC (Twitter), @TheSWAC (Facebook), and @TheSWAC (Instagram) or visit the official home of the Southwestern Athletic Conference at www.swac.org.