NEW ORLEANS – The Stillman College softball team took to the road for an HBCU Athletic Conference doubleheader with the Dillard University Bleu Devils and the Tigers came away with a pair of wins to sweep the season. Stillman won a tight opening contest 7-5 before dominating the second game 16-4 in six innings.
GAME ONE - Stillman 7, Dillard 5
Lily Stone knocked in the first run of the day with a double to left field to bring in the speedy
Lauren Haskins.
Madison Bubel followed with a sacrifice fly to center field as Stone tagged up from third to move the score to 2-0.
In the second, Haskins hit a single to third base, which provided enough room for
Karli Davidson to score.
Dillard got on the board in the bottom of the third with an RBI single from Ca'Terra Bates to cut the lead to 3-1.
Haskins extended the lead in the fourth, using an inside-the-park home run on a line drive to center field which brought in Erwin. Bubel later grabbed an RBI single on the center field to bring in Stone again to move the lead to 6-1 after four innings.
The Tigers added one more critical run in the fifth with a triple by Haskins as
Alex Erwin scored to push the lead to 7-1.
Dillard rallied with four runs in the sixth and one more on a solo homer by Madi Clark to cut the lead to 7-5, but the Tigers shut the door defensively to grab the 7-5 win to clinch the series win.
Haskins finished 3-for-4 with four RBIs, a triple, a home run and a steal. Bubel notched two RBIs on 1-for-2 hitting.
Carolyn Carter, Stone and Erwin all hit doubles in the victory.
Faith Byram (7-5) tossed six innings in the win and finished with seven hits and four walks allowed.
Jasmine Wade (1) earned her first save of the season with a shutdown seventh inning.
GAME TWO - Stillman 16, Dillard 4 (6 innings)
Haskins wasted no time and smashed a lead-off home run to left field.
Avary Lumpkin doubled to center field to drive in Stone. Carter followed with a single to left field as Lumpkin scored. Davidson moved the score to 4-0 with a double to left field to bring in Carter.
Jennifer Gress got Dillard on the board with a sacrifice fly to center field to cut the lead to 4-1.
Stillman added six runs in the second starting with an RBI for Stone on a single as Haskins ran in for a score.
Katelyn Lankford drew a bases-loaded walk for Stone to score. Davidson followed with a sacrifice fly to right field to allow Bubel to advance home. Erwin smashed a single to right field to bring in Carter.
Anna Sullivan capped the big rally with a single to center as Lankford scored to move the score to 10-1.
Gress made her presence felt in the bottom of the third with a two-run homer to left field to cut the lead to 10-3.
Haskins responded with a double in the top of the fifth to bring in
Ariana Lopez as Stillman went up 11-3.
The Bleu Devils added their final run in the bottom of the fifth when Trenity Okedele was hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded to move the score to 11-4.
The Tigers' offense exploded one more time in the sixth starting with a bases-loaded walk for Lankford as
Molly Neal scored and another bases-loaded walk for Davidson to bring in Bubel. Erwin smashed a single through the left side as Carter rounded third. Rachel Bowman drew yet another bases-loaded walk as Lankford scored. Stone capped the big inning with a line drive to left to knock in Erwin and move the score to the final 16-4 after six innings.
Davidson finished with three RBIs and a double on 1-for-2 hitting. Haskins once again went 3-for-4 with two RBIs, a homer, a double, and a stolen base. Stone went a perfect 3-for-3 with two RBIs. Lumpkin collected an extra-base hit with a double.
Lumpkin threw five innings in the victory with three strikeouts.
Mackenzie Smith recorded the final three outs with no hits allowed.
To stay sharp for the final weekend of HBCUAC play, Stillman College will host Rust College on April 1 for a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. in a non-conference matchup.
