CIAA Softball Championship: Day 1
SALEM, VA (April 30, 2018) – Day one of the 2018 CIAA Softball Championships went pretty much as expected, however there was one upset in terms of seedings.
In one of the two 12 noon opening round games, No. 1 (South) Saint Augustine's University was dealt a 12-6 setback by No. 4 (North) Bowie State University. The BSU Bulldogs trailed SAU's Lady Falcons 6-2 heading into the top of the 7th inning, but Bowie State rallied to score 10 runs on five hits to send the Northern Division's top seed into the loser's bracket. Jacqueline Pickering recorded a pair of hits and Tiffany Bearns accounted for two RBI to lead Bowie State. As a team, the Bulldogs had eight hits, five in the decisive 7th inning, but committed four errors. Nicoleen Ochoa earned the win in the circle, improving her season pitching record to 11-10. Saint Augustine's was paced by Haley Sessoms with three hits while Tamiera Sanchez, Marley Parker, Makayla August and Haili Pettifer contributed two hits each in the loss. The Falcons belted three home runs in the contest with Parker, August and Sessoms responsible for the long balls. Parker suffered the loss in the circle, going 6.1 innings and was responsible for seven of Bowie State's runs before being relieved by August.
In the second 12:00 noon contest, Winston-Salem State University (No. 3 South) broke a 3-all tie in the top of the 6th inning and scored a pair of runs in the top of the 7th inning to push the Rams past the (No. 2 North) Virginia Union University Lady Panthers 5-3. WSSU garnered six hits in the game with Destiny Snipes tallying a team-high two hits while Tia Robinson picked up the win on the bump, striking out eight along the way. Virginia Union was led offensively by Yazmine Lewis' game-high two RBI while teammate Breana Miller added the Panthers other RBI. Shontel Linnette took the loss in the circle, pitching all seven innings and struck out seven.
Fayetteville State University (No. 2 South) was victorious in its opening game of the conference championships, topping (No. 3 North) Virginia State University by a final count of 10-3. VSU scored two in the top of the 2nd inning only to have FSU respond with six runs in their half of the inning and never looked back. The Fayetteville State Broncos were led by Nikki Brown with three hits and contributed four RBI while teammates Madison Mendoza along with Courtney Pierce added a pair of hits apiece. Brittany Lee ranked second on the team in RBI with two. On the top half of the box score, Samantha Cunningham led Virginia State two hits and two RBI in the loss.
The defending CIAA Champion Hawks of Chowan University (No. 1 South) scored an 8-run mercy rule win over (No. 4 South) Shaw University, cruising past the Lady Bears 9-1. Shaw kept the Hawks contained until the bottom of the third inning. Haley Cooper started the rally with a single to right field. Lindsey Stigler broke the scoreless contest with a two-run home run to left. Miranda Glover would bring two home with a two RBI single plating EmaRae Flores and Donya Salman who walked and reached on a fielder's choice to push ahead 4-0. Chowan added two more runs in the fourth inning to lead 6-0. Kris Neal opened the inning with a single and moved up to second on a wide throw. Haley Cooper doubled to bring home Neal. A fielder's choice allowed Cooper to score.
Shaw broke up the shutout in the fifth as an error by the Hawks allowed a run to score after a one-out single. Frances Perry went 2-for-2 at the plate for the Lady Bears while Amanda Ortiz and Taija Bailey finished with one hit apiece. Sheniqua Fahie suffered the loss in the circle, allowing eight earned runs, walked five and struck out two batters in 5.1 innings of work.
Chowan's EmaRae Flores pushed the lead to 7-1 in the fifth on a solo home run to lead off the inning. The Hawks took the victory in the bottom of the sixth plating the two runs needed for the "walk-off" victory.
Chowan pushed nine runs across the dish in the 4th inning and never threatened, handing Fayetteville State a 13-3 loss that sent the Lady Broncos to the loser's bracket. Leading the attack for Chowan's Hawks were Haley Cooper and Lindsey Stigler with three hits each and Brittany Parson along with Miranda Glover contributed a pair of hits each in the rout.
Maggie Smith paced the Fayetteville State with two hits while HaLee Knowles, Madison Mendoza and Rachel Rodriguez chipped in one hit each.
Winston-Salem State remained unbeaten on opening day, sending Bowie State to the loser's bracket with an 11-0 shutout. WSSU's Rams put five on the board in the bottom of the 1st inning, two in the 2nd inning and added another four to account for their run total. Five different WSSU players tallied two hits and Erica Mendoza recorded a no-hitter, facing only 17 batters. The Rams march on and will take on Chowan's Hawks at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday (5/1) in the lone winner's bracket game.
The Saint Augustine's Lady Falcons bounced back for their earlier loss, blowing past Virginia Union by a final count of 11-3, ending the Lady Panthers season with a record 15-11. Saint Augustine's jumped out to an early 5-0 advantage before Virginia Union trimmed the deficit to 5-2 heading to the bottom of the 4th inning. Unfortunately for the Lady Panthers, the Lady Falcons answered with three runs to increase Saint Augustine's lead to 8-2.
Virginia Union scored their final run in the top of the 6th inning but Saint Augustine's responded with a trio of runs to secure the win. SAU's Lady Falcons will be back in action tomorrow (5/1) versus CIAA Southern Division foe in one of the two loser's bracket games beginning at 12 p.m.
Shaw sent Virginia State home for the season, closing out day one with a 11-7 victory. With the win, the Lady Bears continue on and will take on Bowie State on Tuesday (5/1) at 12 p.m. at Moyer Sports Complex.