No. 4 South Winston-Salem State 7, No. 1 North Bowie State 1
Orangeburg Recreational Park | Orangeburg, S.C.
Winston-Salem State delivered one of the most significant results of the opening day of the CIAA Softball Championship Tournament, upsetting top-seeded Bowie State 7–1 on Thursday night at Orangeburg Recreational Park.
The Rams struck early in the top of the first inning, taking advantage of defensive miscues to jump out to a quick lead. After Asyah Smith reached on an error and Riley Demers was hit by a pitch, Winston-Salem State cashed in with RBI contributions from Laniya Rouse and Nevaeh Cruz, grabbing a 2–0 advantage.
Bowie State answered in the bottom of the first when Presleigh Braxton walked, stole second, and later scored on a sacrifice fly from Mikayla Amos to cut the deficit to 2–1. It would be the Bulldogs’ lone run of the contest.
Winston-Salem State regained momentum in the third inning, extending the lead to 3–1 following a fielder’s choice that brought home an unearned run. The Rams added further separation in the fourth as Riley Demers connected for a solo home run to center field, pushing the margin to 4–1.
The Rams controlled the game from the circle and defensive side through the middle innings before putting the game away in the seventh. With runners in scoring position, Demers delivered once again, ripping a two-run double to center field to cap the scoring and seal the 7–1 victory.
Winston-Salem State finished with 12 hits and capitalized on six Bowie State errors, turning sustained pressure into decisive runs. Demers powered the offense with a home run and three RBIs, while Layla Smith and Makayla Vinson each recorded multi-hit performances.
In the circle, Koralie Morin earned the complete-game win, limiting Bowie State to four hits and one run while working efficiently through traffic. Sydney Seals took the loss for Bowie State.
With the win, Winston-Salem State advanced in the winners bracket and will face No. 3 North Virginia Union in the next round. Bowie State dropped into the elimination bracket and will look to keep its championship hopes alive against Fayetteville State as the CIAA Softball Championship continues in Orangeburg.