Samantha Smith had three hits, three runs scored, and three RBIs during the doubleheader split with Fayetteville State
Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2
Charlotte, NC – The Johnson C. Smith University women's softball team dropped game one (11-6), but rebounded for win in the second contest (5-2) in a CIAA Southern Divisional doubleheader against Fayetteville State University on Sunday afternoon in Biddleville Park. JCSU improves to 13-22 overall, 5-7 in the CIAA, and 3-3 in the division.
The first contest played out as two evenly matched teams until the fourth inning. Fayetteville State managed to score two runs with three hits in the first. Early infield errors plagued the Golden Bulls and allowed for the 2-0 FSU lead. JCSU wasted no time responding with three hits and three runs of their own in the bottom of the inning.
Senior captain
Samantha Smith (Whiteville, NC) sparked the offense with a triple to left field at the top of the batting lineup. Senior outfielder
Elizabeth McElveen (Florence, SC) followed with a RBI single to bring home Smith. Junior infielder
Alexandra Buckley (Charlotte, NC) had a squeeze bunt to take first base and advance McElveen to second. Both McElveen and Buckley scored due to passed balls and an error by the Lady Broncos.
FSU tied the game 3-3 in the second inning with a run scored. The Golden Bulls recaptured an advantage (4-3) off a solo run scored in the bottom of the third. After doubling to center field, Smith was able to score because of a sacrifice hit by McElveen.
JCSU backed themselves into a big hole by allowing four hits and seven runs in the fourth inning. The Lady Broncos capitalized on their hitting and three errors to take a 10-4 lead. Despite a 2-RBI double by sophomore
Jena Rae Serranzana (Panorama City, CA) in the fifth, the Golden Bulls never overcame the deficit.
Serranzana was charged with the loss on the mound. She stroke out two, but allowed 11 hits and 11 runs.
Game two remained deadlock at 1-1 until the fifth inning. Fayetteville State broke the tie after Sierra Henderson-Holmes doubled to left center and scored the runner at second. That would be the only hit and run in the inning for FSU.
Smith had the heroic play at the bottom of the fifth to decide the game. With bases loaded by senior
Tenesha Simmons (Melbourne, FL) and sophomores
Ashton Byrd (Atlanta, GA) and
Jasmine Jackson (Chester, SC); Smith nailed a 3-RBI triple to left field and scored the runners. McElveen came through with a bunt and brought home Smith.
Both teams went scoreless for the remainder of the contest and JCSU earned a 5-2 victory. Freshman
Stacy Peralta (Brooklyn, NY) picked up her fifth win of the season at the mound. Peralta had four strikeouts and walked two batters.
Johnson C. Smith returns to action for a road divisional doubleheader against Winston-Salem State University on Thursday, April 5th. First pitch of the initial contest is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. on the campus of WSSU.
