March 27, 2004
Winston-Salem, NC - The Lady Rams' softball team won their eighth straight game on Saturday afternoon at Southpark Field in Winston-Salem, NC as they defeated the visiting Lady Panthers of Virginia Union University by the score of 10-9 in the final game of a CIAA softball doubleheader. The Lady Rams, who improve to 11-6 on the season with the win, continue to entrench themselves atop of the CIAA as they hold onto their flawless league record.
The Lady Rams once again scored in the first inning as Amber Nance, who was starting her first game for WSSU this season drilled a single to left center field that scored L'Tisha Bell from third base to give WSSU the early lead.
However, Virginia Union would answer as they benefited from three errors and an RBI single to score a pair of runs in the inning and regain the lead at 2-1. However, Amber Nance forced a pair of ground outs and struck out the final batter of the inning to help WSSU escape the inning trailing by only one run.
The Lady Panthers increased their lead in the third inning as a Willis home run made the game 3-1 in favor of Virginia Union. The bottom of the third inning would see the proverbial wheels fall off for Virginia Union however as the Lady Rams would score six runs before the Lady Panthers could even record an out as Toyia Vaughn bashed a three-run home run to start the WSSU rally. The Lady Rams would finish the inning leading the contest 7-5 and looked to be firmly in control of the game's outcome.
However, looks can be deceiving as the Lady Rams once again saw hot bats and mediocre defense lead to the surrender of four runs as VUU regained the lead at 9-7 in the top of the fourth inning.
WSSU would chip away and eventually retake the lead en route to the victory as they tallied two runs in the fifth inning to tie the game and one in the ninth to snatch the 10-9 win from the jaws of defeat when LaKelsha Carney was driven home by a Curtina Barrett single and crossed home plate to propel WSSU to the win.
Making her first appearance and tallying her 1st win of the season was WSSU starting pitcher Amber Nance who allowed 9 runs on 11 hits in the contest while striking out three batters. Saddled with the loss was Virginia Union's James who lost her seventh game of the season, falling to 1-7 in the process.
With the victory, the Lady Rams improve to 11-6 overall and remain flawless at 8-0 in the CIAA (2-0 Western Division). The Lady Panthers fall to 1-11 overall and 1-7 in the CIAA with the loss.
The two teams return to action tomorrow as the Lady Panthers travel to Durham, NC to face off against the Lady Eagles of North Carolina Central University at 12:00 pm while the Lady Rams will remain home in Winston-Salem, NC and play host to the Lady Trojans of Virginia State University at Southpark Field at 12:00 noon.
