MURFREESBORO, N.C. – Bowie State University softball closed out the CIAA portion of its schedule on Sunday (April 22) at Chowan, falling 7-0 and 10-2 to the Hawks. The setbacks set the Bulldogs conference record at 7-9 and 5-5 in the Northern Division and qualifies Bowie State for the (April 30 – May 2) CIAA Championships in Salem, Va. as the #4 Seed in the division.
 
The Bulldogs tallied 10 hits over the two games but with seniors Nicoleen Ochoa (Madison, Ohio) and Ja'seph Smith (Bowie, Md.) responsible for three hits each. Junior Jaelyn Belt (Glen Burnie, Md.) was the only other Bowie State player with multiple hits, accounting for two, one in each game of the twin bill.
 
Chowan (26-14, 15-0 CIAA, 9-0 North) put their first run of the game on the scoreboard in the bottom of the 1st inning courtesy of a Bowie State throwing error. The Hawks added three runs in the bottom of he 2nd inning to open a 4-0 lead.
 
Bowie State (12-16) missed a golden opportunity to manufacture some runs in the top of the 4th inning, but strand three on base.
 
Chowan plated two runs in the 4th inning and added one more run in the bottom of the 5th inning to account for the final game one shutout of 7-0.
 
The Bulldogs had four hits in the opening game with Ochoa accounting for two while junior Tiffany Bearns (Lusby, Md.) and Belt recorded one each. Ochoa pitched all six innings for Bowie State, striking out two.
 
On the bottom half of the box score, Chowan's Hawks tallied 13 hits with Brittany Parson and Makenzie Taggart leading the way with three hits apiece.
 
Ochoa hit a leadoff double to begin game two and Pickering followed with a single to right, scoring Ochoa for an early 1-0 Bowie State lead.
 
Chowan tied the game a 1-1 in the bottom of the 1st inning but the Bowie State Bulldogs regained the lead at 2-1 in the top of the 2nd inning via a Belt sacrifice bunt that scored Smith.
 
CU's Beth Walker belted a 2-run homer in the bottom of the 3rd inning to shift the advantage back over to the Hawks at 4-2.
 
After a scoreless 4th inning, it was all Chowan as the Hawks scored six runs on five hits in the bottom half of the 5th inning to end game two early by way of the 8-run mercy rule.
 
Ochoa (9-11) took the loss in the circle in game two, striking out one of 29 batters faced.
 
The Bulldogs return to action on Thursday (4/26) hosting the Division I Howard University Bison in a single non-conference game beginning at 4 p.m.