The Tennessee State University softball team is set to begin its Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) schedule this weekend with a road series against the Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles. The three-game matchup will take place at the USI Softball Field in Evansville, Indiana, starting with a doubleheader on Saturday, March 8, and concluding with a final game on Sunday, March 9.
The Tigers approach the OVC opener after participating in the MUSB Invitational II held in Macon, Georgia. During the tournament, Tennessee State played several close games, including two that were decided by just one run and others that remained competitive until late innings.
Key offensive contributors for Tennessee State included Kailyn Jean-Baptiste and Jace Jackson. Jackson was instrumental in sparking rallies and delivered an RBI double against Columbia. Jean-Baptiste provided consistent hitting and strong defensive work in the infield. Jasmine Blackburn added an important RBI earlier in the tournament, while Alexis Woods and Hailey Hunt regularly reached base to help create scoring chances.
On defense, Jean-Baptiste and Mariyah Brown combined for 13 putouts during the game against Columbia, helping to minimize opponents’ scoring opportunities throughout the weekend.
Tennessee State utilized four pitchers during the invitational: Kristian Holder, Tianna Salcido, Chelsi Ervin, and Miriam Gordon. Gordon pitched 2.2 scoreless relief innings while Ervin made her collegiate debut with multiple innings pitched. Holder tallied several strikeouts over her appearances as Salcido continued to handle key starting roles early this season.
In previous matchups since Southern Indiana joined the conference, Tennessee State has recorded notable wins over the Screaming Eagles—including a shutout victory in Evansville during 2024.
The scheduled games are set for Saturday at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., followed by Sunday’s finale at noon Central Time. Fans can follow live streaming of all three games or track statistics online through sidearmstats.com/usi/softball/. Updates are also available via social media on @TSUTigersSB and @TnStateSoftball.
