SOFTBALL: WINSTON-SALEM STATE, CHOWAN ADVANCE TO SEMIFINAL ROUND OF SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS

WINSTON-SALEM STATE, CHOWAN ADVANCE TO SEMIFINAL ROUND OF SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS

April 21, 2011

Tournament Statistics | Updated Bracket

PETERSBURG, VA – Division champions Winston-Salem State and Chowan each moved a couple of steps closer to the title round of the CIAA Softball Championships by picking up a pair of victories on the opening day of the double-elimination tournament on Thursday at the Petersburg Sports Complex.

The Southern Division champion Rams needed a late score to clip Elizabeth City State 2-1 in their opening game, but throttled Virginia State 10-0 behind Brittany Lane’s no-hitter to advance to Friday’s semifinal against the Hawks.

Chowan moved on to the 12:30 p.m. matchup by taking care of Johnson C. Smith and then Bowie State, rallying from a three-run deficit in the final two innings of the nightcap. The game will be played on the campus of Virginia State, with the victor reaching the championship round of the tournament.

In other action:

GAME 1: N1 CHOWAN 6, S4 JOHNSON C. SMITH 1

Christie Wright stuck out 10 and scattered nine hits as Chowan’s offense got going early as the Hawks knocked off Johnson C. Smith 6-1 in the first round of the CIAA Softball Championships on Thursday.

Tricia Gorman drove in a pair of runs while Allie Kolezynski went 3-for-3 as Northern Division champion Chowan (32-17) struck twice in the first inning and then tacked on three more runs in the fifth to build a 5-0 lead.

Johnson C. Smith (8-30), which was beset by four errors, managed to score in the top of the seventh, but it was far from enough against Wright, who walked just one.

The Golden Bulls were led by Britney Warren, who was 3-for-3 with an RBI.

Samantha Smith, Shade Reese and Kawehi Chan each had two hits. Tenesha Simmons took the loss for Johnson C. Smith.

GAME 2: N3 BOWIE STATE 2, S2 FAYETTEVILLE STATE 0

Bowie State broke a scoreless tie in the top of the sixth inning and held on to defeat Fayetteville 2-0 in the opening round Thursday.

Freshman Renelle Traylor singled to center with two outs and sophomore Kristen Lee followed with a triple down the left field line, scoring Traylor. Lee scored Bowie State's final run via a passed ball.

Bowie State freshman Mariela Hernandez(11-12) struck out six and allowed six hits.

Traylor led the Lady Bulldogs (21-18) with a pair of hits and Lee along with freshmen Adria Lewis and Haley Snyder added one hit each.

Olivia Peavey (11-12) took the loss for Fayetteville State (18-28), allowing one earned run on five hits. Peavey, April Branch, Tiffany Locklear, Jessica Randolph, Demarius Pankey and Misty Huber each had one hit for FSU.

GAME 3: S1 WINSTON-SALEM STATE 2, N4 ELIZABETH CITY STATE 1

Tanaya Pettus scored what proved to be the game-winning run when she stole home with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning, helping Southern Division champion Winston-Salem State to a 2-1 victory over Elizabeth City State in the opening round of the CIAA Championships on Thursday.

Jennifer Gray had two hits and drove in a run in the top of the first inning for the Vikings, but it was the last time Elizabeth City State (10-15) could manage a run.

Winston-Salem State (26-11) tied the game when LaToya Lynch blasted a solo home run to lead off the second inning. Lynch and Bonika Terry had two hits apiece to pace the Rams.

Tiffany Burgess improved to 12-6 on the season with the complete game victory, scattering five hits while striking out 14.

Gray took the loss despite allowing just four hits.

GAME 4: N2 VIRGINIA STATE 5, S3 SHAW 4

LeCara Hawkes scored when Shaw third baseman Erneisha Cooper committed an error in the bottom of the seventh inning as Virginia State clipped Shaw 5-4 in opening round of the CIAA Championships on Thursday.

Shaw suffered three errors in the decisive inning.

Sharron Lipford and Dominique Johnson had three hits apiece for the Trojans (19-13), who managed to prevail in a back-and-forth game that included three ties and three lead changes. Virginia State’s Alyssa Winston added two hits for a team that banged out 12 hits in the game.

Shaw (13-44) led 3-1 entering the bottom of the fourth, getting a solo home run from Emily Montgomery, her ninth of the season.

Shakia Pledger took the loss for Shaw while Jessica Mattia earned the win in relief of Takeia Jones.

GAME 5: S2 FAYETTEVILLE STATE 12, S4 JOHNSON C. SMITH 7

Fayetteville State scored early and often to remain alive in the CIAA Championships after clubbing Johnson C. Smith 12-7 in the loser’s bracket on Thursday.

The loss eliminates the Golden Bulls (8-31).

The Broncos scored six runs in the bottom of the first inning and led 11-1 through three innings. Johnson C. Smith gave itself a chance with six runs in the fifth inning – five of them were unearned – to trim the deficit to four, but it was not enough.

Ashley Wlezen was 2-for-4 with three RBI to lead the Broncos’ offensive attack while Demarius Pankey and Olivia Peavey added two hits apiece. Maya Washington drove in three runs with a bases-clearing triple.

Misty Huber earned the win for Fayetteville State, allowing seven runs – two earned – on eight hits. She walked just one and struck out 10.

Samantha Smith had two hits and a two RBI for the Golden Bulls.

Fayetteville State will play Bowie State in the elimination round at 10 a.m. at the Petersburg Sports Complex.

GAME 6: S3 SHAW 9, N4 ELIZABETH CITY STATE 1 (5)

Shaw broke the game open with six runs on four hits and four errors to keep its championship hopes alive with 9-1 five-inning win over Elizabeth City State in the loser’s bracket on Thursday.

Shaw (14-44) led just 3-1 entering the bottom of the fifth before eliminating the Vikings with the offensive barrage.

Chelsea Holliday was 2-for-2 with two RBI while Nikita Burroughs also had two hits.

Shaw’s Shakia Pledger earned the win with five effective innings, fanning six while allowing just four hits and one run, which was not earned.

Jennifer Gray, who drove in the lone run for the Vikings, took the loss for Elizabeth City State (10-16).

Shaw will play Virginia State in the next round at 10 a.m. Friday. Virginia State fell 10-0 to Winston-Salem State late Thursday.

GAME 7: N1 CHOWAN 8, N3 BOWIE STATE 7

Tricia Gorman, the national leader in RBI, drove in a run with sharp single to right field to complete a rally as Chowan knocked off Bowie State 8-7 in a late game on Thursday.

Chowan (33-17) trailed 7-4 entering the bottom of the sixth, but used two Bowie State errors early in the inning to come all the way back.

Allie Kolezynski reached first after a third strike from Bulldogs pitcher Mariela Hernandez got away, and moved up to second on Farhen Munro’s sacrifice bunt. Gorman, who entered the day with 79 RBI, drilled the walk-off single to right field, and Kolezynski scored well ahead of the relay throw.

Gorman and Liz Sill had two hits apiece for Chowan, while Christie Wright earned the win with two scoreless innings of relief.

Five Bowie State (21-19) players – Justine Smith, Amanda Ray, Renelle Traylor, Haley Snyder and Megan Alexander – had two hits apiece.

Chowan advances to the semifinal round to face Southern Division champion Winston-Salem State at 12:30 p.m. on Friday on the campus of Virginia State University.

Bowie State will face Fayetteville State at 10 a.m. Friday at the Petersburg Sports Complex. It will be the second time the teams have met in the tournament.

Bowie State has won the two previous meetings this season.

GAME 8: S1 WINSTON-SALEM STATE 10, N2 VIRGINIA STATE 0 (5)

Brittany Lane tossed a five-inning no-hitter and struck out 12 as Winston-Salem State advanced to the semifinals after a dominating 10-0 victory over Virginia State on Thursday evening.

Lane, who improved to 14-5 on the season, faced just two batters over the minimum.

Meanwhile, the Rams’ offense had little trouble finding ways to get on base.

Winston-Salem State (25-11) clubbed 12 hits, with LaToya Lynch and Tanaya Pettus each driving in three runs with two hits apiece. Brittany Cato was 2-for-3 with two RBI while Lane added two hits and two RBI herself.

Winston-Salem State will face Chowan in the semifinals at 12:30 p.m. on Friday on the campus of Virginia State University.

Virginia State (19-14) moves to the elimination bracket, where it will face Shaw at 10 a.m. Friday at the Petersburg Sports Complex.