ORANGEBURG, SC --The Bowie State softball team (25-17) secured their spot in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) softball championship semifinals with two powerful 11-3 wins over Shaw and Lincoln (PA) in Thursdays quarterfinal matchups.
Quarterfinal Game One | Bowie State 11, Shaw 3
Lindsey George earned the win in the circle, pitching five innings and allowing three runs on seven hits. She walked one and struck out five.
Taylor Dawkins led the Bulldogs offensively, going 2-for-3 with four RBIs. Coreena Dunham also had a strong performance at the plate, finishing 3-for-4 with a triple and two RBIs. Mykhl Young contributed as well, going 1-for-2 with a triple, a walk, and two RBIs.
The Matchup
After falling behind 1-0, Bowie State got on the board in the first inning. Shaw was unable to respond, and the Bulldogs extended their lead in the third inning when Dawkins scored the lone run of the frame, pushing the score to 4-1.
Shaw cut the deficit to 4-2, but BSU answered with two more runs in the fourth, highlighted by an RBI triple from Dunham, making it 6-2.
The Lady Bears added another run to make it 6-3, but the Bulldogs pulled away for good in the fifth inning. They plated five runs, capped off by a three-run single from Dawkins, extending the lead to 11-3. That score held for the remainder of the game, as Bowie State cruised to victory.
Game Notes
» Dawkins drove in four runs for Bowie State.
» Bowie State's highest scoring inning was the fifth, when it pushed five runs across.
» Dunham stole three bases in Thursday's game.
» Dunham led the Bulldogs at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a triple and two RBI.
Quarterfinal Game Two | Bowie State 11, Lincoln (PA) 3
George earned the win in the circle, pitching four innings and allowing three runs—only one earned—on four hits. She walked one and struck out five. Sydney Seals also delivered a strong performance in relief, tossing a scoreless inning without allowing a hit, walking one, and striking out one.
At the plate, Dunham led the way with a 2-for-3 performance, highlighted by a double, a triple, and two RBIs. George contributed offensively as well, going 2-for-3 with two doubles and two RBI's. Jayla Hill added to the Bulldogs' firepower, finishing a perfect 3-for-3 with a triple and three RBI's.
The Matchup
After falling behind 1-0 in the second inning, the Bulldogs responded quickly, tying the game in the bottom half of the frame. They broke the tie in the third inning with a five-run outburst, sparked by Dunham's two-run triple, to take a commanding 6-1 lead.
The Lady Lions trimmed the deficit to 6-3, but Bowie State answered with another five-run inning in the fourth. Aralynn Robinson's two-run single highlighted the rally and extended the lead to 11-3.
That score held for the remainder of the game, as Bowie State cruised to a comfortable win.
Game Notes
» The Bulldogs had both George and Dunham crush multiple extra-base hits in the ballgame.
» BSU's highest scoring inning was the fourth, when it pushed five runs across.
» Four Bulldogs had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» Hill led the Bulldogs at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a triple and three RBI.
Up Next
The Bulldogs will take on the No. 1 seed from the south division, Claflin University, in the semifinals on Friday, May 2 at noon at Orangeburg Recreation Park in Orangeburg, S.C. This marks the third consecutive year these teams will have met in the semifinal round.
For the most up-to-date information on Bowie State Athletics and its 13 varsity sports teams, visit bsubulldogs.com.
