Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 PETERSBURG, Va. - Junior Aiyana McNair (Baltimore, Md.) recorded a personal series-high four hits, but Virginia State swept the series by scores of 9-1 and 11-6 over Bowie State. Freshman Erica Atkins (Burtonsville, Md.) and sophomore Cassandra Clayborne (Damascus, Md.) added three hits each in the CIAA Northern Division setback.

Bowie State junior pitcher Mariela Hernandez (Del Rio, Texas) faced 32 batters in game one, giving up 11 hits but striking out five in the loss. As a team, the Lady Bulldogs mustered only two hits over six innings.

The Lady Bulldogs trailed 4-0 through five innings of the opening game before getting their first hit and only run in the top of the sixth. BSU's lone hit came off the bat of sophomore Alexis Barnes (District Heights, Md.) who scored later in the inning after a single to left by McNair.

Virginia State (7-11, 7-1 CIAA, 2-0 North) ended the game early via the 8-run mercy rule, in the bottom of the sixth, pushing five runs across the dish.

The Lady Trojans held a 3-0 first inning advantage in game two and led 4-0 through three innings of play.

BSU's Lady Bulldogs came alive in the top of the fourth, plating five to take a 5-4 lead. Atkins hit a leadoff triple to jump start the visitor's offense. With two outs, Clayborne and McNair hit back-to-back singles to load the bases. Barnes scored on a wild pitch and sophomore Kiara Washington (Bowie, Md.) reached on a base on balls. Senior Megan Alexander (Damascus, Md.) followed with a 3-RBI triple.

Virginia State's Sade Holmes began the Lady Trojans' share of the fourth with a double and was brought home with a hard single back to the pitcher off the bat of Scherrie Smith to knot the game at five.

The Lady Trojans used a four-hit, two run fifth inning to take the lead for good at 7-5 and added four more runs in the bottom of the sixth to extend the VSU lead to 11-5.

Bowie State's Atkins scored the final Lady Bulldogs run in the seventh thanks to a double to left field by junior Kyerra Martin (Rockville, Md.).  

Atkins, McNair and Clayborne paced Bowie State with three hits each in game two and Washington contributed a pair of hits.

The BSU Lady Bulldogs (4-18, 2-8 CIAA, 0-2 North) are scheduled to play at Virginia Union on Sunday (3/24) morning at 9:30 am, weather permitting.