RALEIGH, N.C. – Bowie State University softball opened CIAA play on Friday (3/18) afternoon with a 6-3 loss to Fayetteville State University but defeated Johnson C. Smith University 8-4. With the split, the Lady Bulldogs record improves to 5-9 overall and 1-1 in league play.
 
Senior Danielle Watt (St. Leonard, Md.) and freshman Jaelyn Belt (Glen Burnie, Md.) led Bowie State with four hits while sophomore Jacqueline Ochoa (Madison, Ohio) and freshman Tiffany Bearns (Lusby, Md.) contributed 3 hits each over the two games.
 
In game one versus Fayetteville State, Ochoa, Bearns and Watt tallied a pair of hits each. Ochoa surrendered 10 hits in the circle and saw her season record dip to 1-4.
 
In the second game of the afternoon, Belt paced the Lady Bulldogs with three hits while Watt and freshman Madison Margas (Stevensville, Md.) had two hits apiece. Sophomore Jacqueline Pickering (Bowie, Md.) was responsible for a game-high three RBI and senior Caitlin O'Neill (Elkton, Md.) added two RBI. Sophomore Stefanie Ray (Damascus, Md.) picked up the win on the bump to improve her pitching record to 3-5. Ray struck out seven Golden Bulls, walked three and gave up nine hits.
 
The Lady Bulldogs return to action on Saturday (3/19), taking on Livingstone College at 1 p.m. followed by a 4:30 p.m. contest against the defending CIAA Champions of Saint Augustine's University.