Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
Charlotte, NC – The Johnson C. Smith University women's softball team beat Fayetteville State University 4-3 in game one, but suffered a 2-1 loss in game two of a divisional doubleheader Wednesday afternoon at the Biddleville Park. JCSU improves to 9-15 overall and 5-2 in the CIAA, while the Lady Broncos move to 12-16 overall, 5-4 in the conference, and 5-1 in the division.
In the first game, J.C. Smith faced a 3-0 deficit heading into the bottom of the fifth inning. Tracy Brighter hit a 2-RBI shot to center field in the first to put FSU up 2-0. Demarius Pankey followed with a RBI single in the second inning for Fayetteville State third and final score. JCSU struggled to find offense early, only managing a hit per inning and no runs leading into the fifth.
Junior left fielder
Ashley Williams (Temple Hills, MD) broke the scoring drought with a RBI single to advance sophomore second baseman
ShaDella Reese (Atlanta, GA) to second and score sophomore outfielder
Alexis Webb (Durham, NC) from second. Junior third baseman Kawehi Chan (Honolulu, HI) doubled to left field to score Williams and junior catcher
Samantha Smith (Whiteville, NC) for a 3-3 tie in the fifth.
Junior pitcher
Allycia Watanabe (Waipahu, HI) kept the score tied with a hitless top of the sixth. Senior first baseman
Nijah Braddox (Brooklyn, NY) took base on balls, stole second, and advance to third on a fielding error. A misconnection from the FSU outfield to the infield allowed Braddox to score the go ahead run for J.C. Smith.
Neither team scored another run to close out the game and improve Watanabe's pitching record to 7-11 on the season. JCSU also claimed their sixth consecutive victory and delivered Fayetteville State a first time divisional loss on the year.
With Misty Huber on the mound for FSU in game two, the Lady Golden Bulls remained scoreless going into the sixth inning. Meanwhile, Fayetteville State produced a run in the second and sixth innings for a 2-1 lead.
Samantha Smith scored the only JCSU run with a triple to left field and fielding error at home to round all the bases.
Johnson C. Smith failed to score another run and suffered their second loss out of the last 10 games. Watanabe gave up eight hits and two runs with three strikeouts facing 31 at-bats.
The Lady Golden Bulls will travel to Petersburg, VA to face St. Paul's College and Virginia State University on Saturday, March 27th. Both games were originally scheduled to be played during the CIAA Roundup, but were rescheduled due to inclement weather. JCSU will square off against St. Paul's at 1:00 pm, followed by the matchup with VSU at 3:00 pm on the Virginia State softball fields.
