RALEIGH, NC  – The VSU Softball team ended the third day of the CIAA Softball Round-Up 1-1 after taking their first conference loss to Claflin 5-6 in extra innings but bounced back against Johnson C. Smith winning 8-5. VSU put a cap on a miraculous weekend going 5-1 while earning a pair of shutout victories against St. Augustine's by a score of 15-0 and Livingstone by a score of 8-0. 


Game 1
The stage was set for the Lady Panthers and the Trojans as both teams were tied for first in the conference with perfect records of 4-0 heading into the matchup. Claflin got off to a fast start as they put a ball into the right center field gap with the bases loaded. The double cleared the base paths, which brought three runs in to score. The Lady Panthers were able to add another run with a hard hit ball to second base to make the score 4-0 heading into the top of the second inning. Desmyn Owens was able to help the Trojans fight back in the top of the second inning with a solo home run into right center field to cut the CU lead down to 4-1. After a scoreless third inning, the Lady Panthers were able to stretch their lead out to 5-1 on a throwing error by the VSU pitcher in the bottom of the fourth inning. Due for a big inning, the Trojans exploded in the top of the fifth inning after veteran Samantha Cunningham put a laser over the left center field fence which allowed Desmyn Owens to touch home plate as well as Cunningham. Later that inning, Alaija Pratt nearly put a pitch over the left field fence but was able to turn it into an off the fence triple to score Serenity Barbee. After the Lady Panthers made a pitching change, Alani Horton hit an infield single to scored Pratt from third to tie the game at five. At the end of regulation, the score was still tied at five with the Trojans due up to bat. The softball rules in the NCAA puts the last batter to be called out on second base to start extra innings, and the game ends if at the end of an inning one team is winning. With Alaija Pratt, being the last out of the previous inning, she was put on second base to start the inning. While Pratt was able to advance to third on a ground out to the pitcher, Nia Hall struck out swinging to make two outs with the heavy bat of Macy Beville on deck. Unfortunately, the Claflin left fielder made a sliding catch to put the bat back in the hands of the Lady Panthers. With a runner on second to start the inning, CU was able to land a base hit into left field to score the final run of the game to give us the final score of 5-6 in favor of Claflin.

 
Top Performers
Alaijah Pratt: 1-4, Run, RBI, Triple
Desmyn Owens: 1-2, 2 Runs, RBI, Walk, Homerun
Samantha Cunningham: 1-3, Run, 2 RBI, Homerun
 Desmyn Owens: 7.1 Innings pitched, 4 Earned runs, 10 Strikeouts (Career-high), 3 Walks

 
Game 2
Looking to avenge last game's loss, the Trojans started the top of the first inning off hot as Alaijah Pratt came around to score after the JCSU third base player had a throwing error. Desmyn Owens later doubled into right center field which allowed Nia Hall to score all the way from first base to make the score 2-0. Julia Jones doubled into left field to score Samantha Cunningham to start the top of the second inning. Alaija Pratt then singled for the second time of the ball game, which allowed Julia Jones to touch them all. Nia Hall almost earned her second big fly of the CIAA Round-Up with her triple into left center field to score Pratt to make the score 5-0 in the top of the second inning. The Trojans would get a run closer to an eight-run rule in the top of the third inning when Cunningham scored Machenze Flood on a single to the pitcher to make the score 6-0. On the cusp of being eight-run ruled, the Golden Bulls hit a two-run home run into right center field. On the very next at-bat, JCSU homered again into left field as back-to-back home runs made the score 6-3 in the bottom of the fourth inning. In the top of the fifth inning, Serenity Barbee scored Cunningham on a sacrifice fly ball to left field to make it 7-3. Johnson C. Smith went on to make another push for the lead as a run came home to score on a double. On the next at-bat, JCSU doubled into right field to score back-to-back runs which made the score 7-5 in the bottom of the fifth inning. In the top of the seventh inning, the Trojans were able to add an insurance run as Alaijah Pratt earned herself yet another base hit to score Cunningham that made the score 8-5. The Golden Bulls were held from touching home plate to produce the final score of 8-5.
                                                                                                                  
Top Performers
Alaijah Pratt: 3-4, 2 Runs, 2 RBI, Stolen Base, Walk
Samantha Cunningham: 4-4, 3 Runs, RBI, Walk, Stolen Base
Julia Jones: 3-3, Run, RBI, Walk, 2 Doubles
Alaijah Pratt: 4.1 Innings pitched, 5 Earned runs, 2 Strikeouts, 1 Walk
 

Up Next
The Trojans will face their only division-one opponent in Norfolk State (16-15) in a doubleheader on Wednesday, March 30 at 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. The game will be streamed on the website of the Norfolk State Spartans provided here. Live stats will also be provided as well in the link provided here.