BOWIE, MD – The Virginia State University softball team split a double-header game against Bowie State 5-1, and 8-7 on Tuesday afternoon in a conference matchup. The Trojans (12-6 overall) claimed the first victory of the day, but the Lady Bulldogs (5-19 overall) seized the second game with the score of 8-7 in eight innings giving the Trojans its first conference lost on the year.

VSU was able to hit the ball earning 14 hits to Bowie State's 3 hits while DeMone Brickhouse (Southampton, VA) and Janay Joseph (Eastern Shore, VA) led the Trojans with 2 RBI's each.

At the top of the second, Brickhouse tripled to center field advancing Sade Holmes (Caroline County, VA) and Endya Bailey (Portland, OR) to score. Brickhouse would score on a wild pitch after to lead the Trojans over the Lady Bulldogs 3-0.

The Trojans smooth sailed through the top of the third collecting three outs as Jessica Mattia (Accokeek, MD) would strike out two of the batters at the plate for the last two outs.

Joseph's singled to centerfield allowed Bailey to advance to third base while twin sisters Jamilia Smith (Halifax, VA) and Jameshia Smith (Halifax, VA) both scored for the Trojans.

The Trojans would run away with the victory over the Lady Bulldogs, holding them to just one run late in the bottom of the sixth.

In the second game of the doubleheader, the Trojans trailed Bowie State early in the first two innings, 2-0. But the Trojans cut the deficit in the top of the fifth to tie the ball game at 5 apiece.

The Lady Bulldogs gained two more runs at the bottom of the fifth as Adria Lewis homered to left field advancing Stefanie Ray to home plate.

VSU answered back with a homerun from Jamilia Smith at the top of the sixth to tie the ball game at 7 apiece as she brought home teammate Jameshia Smith.

After eight innings of play, BSU's Stefanie Ray singled to right field, while bases were loaded advancing Hayley Flint to score, the Trojans fell short in an 8-7 loss.

The Trojans look to bounce back as they travel to Lincoln University on tomorrow, April 2 in a doubleheader game. Tip-off is at 1:00 pm.