Bre'Zhay Chambers
Donald Watkins
Bre'Zhay Chambers was the winning pitcher in games one and two
3
Fayetteville State FSU 10-25
15
Winner Claflin CLAFSB19 34-18
Fayetteville State FSU
10-25
3
Final
15
Claflin CLAFSB19
34-18
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 R H E
Fayetteville State FSU 3 0 0 0 0 3 5 4
Claflin CLAFSB19 0 0 14 1 X 15 12 2

W: Chambers, Bre'Zhay (16-9) L: ZOOK,Ashlyn (7-12)

0
Chowan CU 21-22
7
Winner Claflin CLAFSB19 35-18
Chowan CU
21-22
0
Final
7
Claflin CLAFSB19
35-18
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Chowan CU 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 1
Claflin CLAFSB19 2 3 0 0 2 0 X 7 7 0

W: Chambers, Bre'Zhay (17-9) L: Shannon Buchanan (10-6)

6
Virginia State VSU 19-23
7
Winner Claflin CLAFSB19 36-18
Virginia State VSU
19-23
6
Final
7
Claflin CLAFSB19
36-18
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 R H E
Virginia State VSU 3 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 6 8 4
Claflin CLAFSB19 0 0 1 1 2 0 2 1 7 14 3

W: Thomas, Shaniya (13-2) L: BILYARD,B (12-17)

Game Recap: Softball | | Romanda Noble-Watson, SID

Claflin Softball Escape Elimination Three Times to Advance to Championship Day

Advance to Championship Day of the 2019 CIAA Softball Championships

Salem, Va. – Senior Kayla Cato, the 2019 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Player of the Year, hit a RBI single in the bottom of the eighth as Claflin University defeated Virginia State University (VSU), 7-6, to escape elimination for the third time on the day and advance to championship day of the 2019 CIAA Softball Championships. 
 
The Lady Panthers will face Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) on Wednesday, May 1 for the right to receive the automatic bid into the 2019 NCAA DII Regionals scheduled for Thursday-Sunday, May 9-11, 2019.  Claflin will have to defeat WSSU twice on Wednesday in order advance to the regional.  The Rams enters championship day undefeated.  First pitch is set for 1 p.m. with the if necessary game to follow at 3:30 p.m.
 
Wednesday's game will be available via live stream at https://www.theciaasn.com/ and via live stats at https://theciaa.com/sidearmstats/softball2/summary.  Links will be available at game-time.
 
The contest between Claflin (36-18) and VSU was the second of the tournament. The Trojans defeated the Lady Panthers 2-1 on opening day of the tournament (Apr. 29), sending Claflin to the loser bracket.
 
In the elimination game, VSU had the momentum early, using two hits and two Claflin errors to score three runs in the top of the first.
 
The Trojans appeared to have control of the game, holding Claflin scoreless for the first two innings but the Lady Panthers remained poised.
 
Claflin slowly chipped away at the VSU lead.  The Lady Panthers scored one run in each of the third and fourth innings and two in the fifth to even the score at 4-4 after five complete. The Trojans scored one run in the sixth and one in the seventh to take a two-run lead heading into the bottom of the seventh.
 
The Lady Panthers continued pressing, putting their first two batters on base in the bottom of the inning.  Cato led off with a single up the middle and Kaela Robinson reached on a fielder's choice.  The runners advanced to scoring position off a wild pitch. Cato then scored on another wild pitch to bring the Lady Panthers to within one.
 
Marion Goins hit a RBI single up the middle to score Robinson from third base and tie the game at six-all.  LaKaylin Lee hit a fly ball to center field to end the inning.
 
Shaniya Thomas, who picked up her 13th win of the season, struck out 3-of-4 batters in the top of the eighth to keep Claflin hopes alive.
 
Angel Johnson led off the bottom of the eighth with a single through the left side.  Chaston Huntly sac bunt moved Johnson, who advanced to third on the throw setting the stage for Cato's walk-off single.
 
Johnson was 3-of-4 with two runs and Goins finished the game 3-of-4 for Claflin.
 
Brooklyn Bilyard, who was credited with the loss in the circle, led the Trojans at the plate with two hits and one run.
 
In Claflin opening game of the day, the Lady Panthers came from behind to defeat Fayetteville State University (FSU) 15-3.
 
FSU put up three runs in the top of the first and held Claflin scoreless over its first two innings.
 
The Lady Panthers bats came to life in the bottom of the third batting around twice, posting 10 hits and forcing three Broncos errors to score 14 runs and take control of the game.  The Lady Panthers led 14-3 after three complete.
 
Claflin defense remained solid over the final two innings of the shortened five inning game, holding FSU scoreless the rest of the way.
 
The Lady Panthers put up one additional run in the bottom of the fourth to take the lopsided win.
 
Huntly was solid at the plate, finishing 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs.  Johnson contributed two runs with two hits and three RBIs.  Cato, Chelise Morman and Ashley Thomas all crossed the plate twice in the opening game win.  Bre'Zhay Chambers was the winning pitcher, allowing three runs with four strikeouts.
 
Mallory Carpenter had one hit with one run while Grace Vincent contributed one run, a triple, in the loss.
 
Claflin shutout the two-time defending CIAA Tournament Champions Chowan Hawks, 7-0, in its middle game of the day.
 
The Lady Panthers offense wasted no time getting on the board, putting up two runs in the bottom of the first.  The Lady Panthers added two more runs in the bottom of the second for a 5-0 lead after two complete.
 
Claflin added two insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth.
 
The Lady Panthers were solid defensively all game, holding the Hawks to just five hits in the contest.
 
Chambers won her second game of the day, holding Chowan scoreless in picking up her 17th win of the season.
 
Shannon Buchanan went all six innings, giving up seven hits as the Hawks were eliminated from the Championships.
 
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