ETTRICK, Va --The Bulldogs drop two nail-bitters in a Central Intercollegiate Athletics Association (CIAA) doubleheader against Virginia State, 5-4 on Sunday afternoon Apr. 7 at VSU Softball Field in Ettrick, VA.
GAME 1 | Virginia State 5, Bowie State 4
Jayla Hill racked up three extra-base hits, but the BSU (11-19, 5-3 CIAA) fell to the VSU (14-2, 9-0 CIAA) 5-4 on Sunday afternoon.
Akirra Pullen (5-10) started and took the loss in the circle for the Bulldogs. The right-hander went 6.2 innings, giving up five runs, two earned, on eight hits, allowing two walks and striking out five.
Hill's three extra-base hits were the highlight of a 3-for-3 day and included a double, a triple, a home run, and an RBI. Sydney Edmond compiled a standout effort as well, going 1-for-4 with an RBI. Jahkya Watkins also helped out for the Bulldogs, putting together one hit in three trips to the plate while adding an RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Bulldogs got on the scoreboard first, starting in the second inning. BSU got an RBI single from Watkins, scoring Hill from third base.
The Trojans then rallied to score two runs and take a 2-1 lead before the Bulldogs got back on the board in the third. BSU scored once on an RBI single off the bat of Edmond, which evened the score at 2-2.
VSU broke that tie and took a 4-2 lead moving into the sixth, when BSU narrowed the gap to 4-3.
The Bulldogs kept the Trojans off the board before tying it up in the seventh. Aralynn Robinson crossed home plate with the lone run of the inning for BSU, evening the score at 4-4. VSU then scored one time in the bottom half of the seventh to break the tie and grab the 5-4 win.
GAME NOTES
» Hill led the Bulldogs, amassing three hits in the ballgame.
» The Bulldogs got a power surge from Hill, who contributed three extra-base knocks.
» BSU's highest-scoring inning was the seventh when it pushed one run across.
» The Bulldogs pitchers faced 31 Trojans hitters in the game, allowing 11 ground balls and four fly balls while striking out five.
GAME 2 | Virginia State 5, Bowie State 4
Elianna Henneberg and Hill each collected three hits, but the Bulldogs (11-20, 5-4) fell to the Trojans (15-2, 10-0) 5-4 on Sunday afternoon.
In addition to her three hits, Hill had a double and an RBI to lead the Bulldogs. Henneberg added an RBI to her three-hit performance as well. Coreena Dunham also chipped in for BSU, putting together one hit in four trips to the plate while adding a triple.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Bulldogs were trailing 1-0 in the second inning when they first put runs on the board. BSU got an RBI single from Saniya Jones, scoring Henneberg from third base.
The Trojans broke the tie and re-took the lead heading into the fifth inning when the Bulldogs got back on the scoreboard. BSU brought home a pair, with one run driven in by Henneberg's single, which evened the score at 3-3.
VSU busted up the tie and took a 4-3 lead heading into the sixth when BSU tied the game at four. The Trojans then scored one time over the remaining one inning to break the tie and grab the 5-4 win.
GAME NOTES
» The Bulldogs got three-hit games from both Hill and Henneberg.
» BSU's highest-scoring inning was the fifth when it pushed two runs across.
» The Bulldogs left 10 runners stranded on base in the loss.
» BSU out-hit the VSU at a 12-9 clip.
» The Bulldogs' pitchers faced 30 Trojans hitters in the game, allowing six ground balls and nine fly balls while striking out two.
Up Next
The Bulldogs will travel to Buckhannon, WV for a non-conference doubleheader against West Virginia Wesleyan College on Tuesday, Apr. 9 at 2 p.m.
For the most up-to-date information on Bowie State Athletics and its 13 varsity sports teams, visit bsubulldogs.com.
