The women’s softball team played in the SWAC roundup March 6-7. The tournament pitted the SWAC west teams against the SWAC east teams.
On the first day of competition the Panthers faced a 5-1 Mississippi Valley team. Unfortunately, the Lady Panthers pitching staff also ran into the hot Lady Devilettes’ offense. Valley scored two runs in the second and third innings before a three run homer in the fourth inning really broke the game open, 9-0. The Lady Panthers struggled offensively, but threatened the MVSU defense in the bottom of the fourth inning. That inning the Lady Panthers loaded the bases, but could score only one run., losing to Valley with a final score of 10-1 in five innings.
The first game of the second day came against the Lady Tigers who had two dominant offensive innings to take the win, 9-1. In the second inning, Jackson State scored five runs, while batting around the order, and four runs in the sixth inning. The Lady Panthers left four players on base while the Lady Tigers drove in runs with six RBIs. Combined with the Lady Panthers’ struggles at the plate and a good pitching performance from the ladies of Mississippi, Prairie View dropped their second game in a row.
In the second game of the day, the Lady Panthers faced Alcorn State. This contest proved to be encouraging for the Lady Panthers as they held the Lady Braves to only six runs. Again, PVAMU would leave runners on base in crucial moments while ASU drove runs in.
The Lady Braves had a big fifth inning, scoring three runs off of timely hits and some great baserunning. The Lady Panthers’ offense, consequently, only got four hits in the game and scored the team’s only runs in the seventh inning. An unassisted ground-out down the first base line with runners on second and third ended the Lady Panthers come back hopes.
Prairie View struck out in three games to their in-conference opponents, but they also got an opportunity to witness those teams before later, more important contests.
The Lady Panthers’ will be in action again March 11 against UT Arlington in Arlington, Texas. They also travel to Baylor and Texas Southern during the school break.