LaKaylin Lee drew a walk to start the game. With two outs and one on, Kayla Cato reached base on a fielding error by WSSU first baseman scoring Lee from second. After Kaelea Robinson walked, Shauneyah Nichols flew out to center field to end the inning.
WSSU wasted no time getting the run back. With one out Destiny Snipes hit a home run to right center to tie the game at 1-1. The Lady Panthers defense retired the remaining two players of the innings.
Claflin had a breakout second inning, posting six runs off seven hits to take a 7-1 lead after one and a half. Chelise Morman started the scoring for the Lady Panthers, leading the inning with a homer to left center.
With the bases loaded and one out, Chaston Huntly hit a two-run single to right field to put Claflin ahead 4-1. A sac bunt by Cato, scores the Lady Panthers fifth run of the game.
A Robinson single scored Huntly and Morman recorded her second hit of the inning, a RBI single to score Robinson, to put Claflin up by six. Marion Goins struck out to end the inning.
Claflin added one additional run in the top of the third to take a commanding 8-1 lead.
WSSU offense got its bats going, loading the bases with one out in their half of the inning. Alleigh Himes hit a two-run double down the third-base line to score two runs and cut the deficit to 8-3. Shauntaja Dedecker popped up to third base to end the inning.
Claflin scored one run each in the top of the fourth and top of the fifth and held the Rams scoreless over the two innings to take a 10-3 advantage after six. The Lady Panthers added one run in the top of the six en route to the victory.
Angel Johnson went 2-for-3 with two runs and a RBI in the contest. Huntly, Morman and Goins all went 2-for-4 in the win. Lee also recorded two runs on the day.
WSSU was led at the plate by Jasmine McCain with two hits. Snipes, Daija Chambers and Nyla Howard all crossed the plate for the Rams in the opening game.
Bre’Zhay Chambers picked up her third win of the Championships and her 17th on the season while Erica Davis was the losing pitcher in the game.
Game #2 - Winston-Salem State 5, Claflin 4
Things got off to a slow start offensively as both teams combined to produce three scoreless innings to begin the final game.
Winston-Salem State started the scoring off with four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, including a big-time two-run homer by Destiny Snipes which followed a Daijah Chambers single that drove in the other two runs.
Claflin got on the board in the top of the fifth when LaKaylin Lee grounded out to the shortstop but drove in a run.
The Panthers would gain even more momentum when senior Kayla Cato hit a solo home run to left center to make the score 4-2.
After holding WSSU scoreless in the bottom of the sixth, Claflin's Chaston Huntly delivered a two-run single with her team on the brink of defeat to tie the game at four apiece.
However, Winston-Salem State would respond in the bottom of the seventh when Chambers singled to third base and then advanced to second on a sac bunt by Destiny Snipes. A fly out allowed Chambers to move to third and an errant throw from right field passed the third baseman, allowing Chambers to score the winning run.
Chambers and Snipes led the Rams with two runs batted in apiece with Chambers also delivering two RBI. Both players were named to the all-tournament team for their efforts. Pitcher Erica Davis pitched a complete game with three strikeouts while also contributing a hit and was named tournament MVP.
Cato each went 2-for-4 with one RBI and a run scored while Huntly also contributed two hits and drove in a pair of runs for Claflin on their way to being named to the all-tournament team,
Joining the aforementioned players on the all-tournament team were Brooklynn Bilyard (Virginia State), Haley Cooper (Chowan), Marion Goins (Claflin), and Aniyah Jones (Winston-Salem State).
Winston-Salem State will now advance to play in the NCAA Atlantic Regional Tournament, which begins May 9th-11th at a location yet to be determined.
2019 CIAA Softball Championship All-Tournament Team
Brooklynn Bilyard, Virginia State
Haley Cooper, Chowan
Kayla Cato, Claflin
Marion Goins, Claflin
Chaston Huntly, Claflin
Daijah Chambers, Winston-Salem State
Destiny Snipes, Winston-Salem State
Aniyah Jones, Winston-Salem State
Erica Davis, Winston-Salem State -
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
2019 CIAA Runner-Up - Claflin University
2019 CIAA Softball Champions - Winston-Salem State University