RALEIGH, N.C. – Saint Augustine’s University opened conference play with two victories in three games in the CIAA Softball Round-Up at the Walnut Creek Softball Complex on Saturday, March 21, 2015. The Lady Falcons edged Elizabeth City State University 5-3, downed The Lincoln University 25-1 and lost to Chowan University 3-2 in the nightcap.
In the first game against Elizabeth City State, Jo’Landa White (Sr./Leland, NC) was 2-for-3 at the plate with two doubles, one RBI and one run scored for the Lady Falcons. Korey Hill (So./Virginia Beach, VA) was 2-for-3 with one RBI and one run scored. Meranda Zanni (So./Phoenix, OR) struck out seven batters in seven complete innings for the pitching victory.
The Lady Falcons built a 4-0 lead through six innings and held off a late run by Elizabeth City State. They led 1-0 in the first inning when Jo’Landa White scored Jasmine Rios (Fr./Greensboro, NC) on a double.
The Lady Falcons added three runs in the top of the sixth inning. Hill scored Zanni on a single and Jo’Landa White scored on a wild pitch. Hill stole home for the third run of the inning.
Elizabeth City State scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to close within 4-3. The Lady Falcons scored the final run in the seventh inning when Danyelle Noland (Fr./Nashville, NC) scored Taylor Walters (Sr./Douglasville, GA) on a sacrifice fly.
In the second game against The Lincoln, Jo’Landa White was 2-for-3 with a home run, four RBIs and three runs scored for the Lady Falcons, who amassed 23 hits. Marley Parker (Fr./Langley, British Columbia) was 2-for-2 with a home run, four RBIs and two runs scored.
Hill was 4-for-4 with three RBIs and four runs scored. She also threw a two-hitter with nine strikeouts and one walk in five innings for the pitching win.
Noland was 4-for-4 with a double, three RBIs, two runs scored and one stolen base. Rios was 2-for-3 with a home run, a triple, three RBIs and three runs scored. Daja White (Jr./Leland, NC) was 2-for-4 with two triples, one RBI and four runs scored, and Akera McPhaul (Fr./Greensboro, NC) was 3-for-5 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored.
In the third game against Chowan, the Lady Falcons trailed 2-0 in the top of the second inning, but cut the deficit to one run in the bottom half of the inning on McPhaul’s run. Chowan pushed its lead to 3-1 in the top of the seventh inning.
The Lady Falcons scored one run in the bottom of the seventh inning. Noland scored Parker on a sacrifice bunt to trim the deficit to 3-2. With two outs and runners on second and third, the Lady Falcons grounded out to end the contest.
Hannah Stutts (Sr./Statesville, NC) was 2-for-3 at the plate for the Lady Falcons. She was also on the mound where she scattered seven hits and recorded six strikeouts in seven complete innings.
The Lady Falcons will play three more games in the CIAA Round-Up on Sunday, March 22. They will face Bowie State University at 11:30 a.m., Virginia State University at 1:30 p.m. and Virginia Union University at 3:30 p.m.
— Sports Information Office
