ORANGEBURG, SC - The Claflin Lady Panthers (24-24) gave a tremendous effort, but the team came up just short in a 7-6 loss to the Bowie State Bulldogs (27-18), Saturday afternoon. In a game that featured some great play by both teams, the Lady Panthers came up just short in the hard-fought loss.
 
The intensity of the game was even shown in the statistics with nearly identical numbers for the teams who were evenly matched in nearly every category, except for total runs. Both Claflin and Bowie State totaled nine hits and one error each in the game. Claflin junior second base Aniyah Jackson led the way for the team, going three-for-four at the plate with two runs scored. Sophomore Michaela Cromarty went two-for-four with a run scored while junior Morgan Tate added a two-for-three effort with a run scored and a run batted in (RBI).
 
The scoring was spread throughout the game. Both teams opened the game with first inning runs with sophomore Lauryn Foster hitting a sacrifice RBI that scored the first Claflin run. After allowing a pair of Bowie State second-inning runs, the Lady Panthers struck with three third inning runs of their own after and RBI double from sophomore Jeniah Williams and an RBI triple from Tate left the Lady Panthers with a 4-3 lead. The game would be tied in the bottom of the third inning. Senior Breanna Collins hit an RBI sacrifice fly that scored Cromarty and left the Lady Panthers with a 5-4 lead before sophomore McKenzie Whitener added an RBI ground out that gave the Lady Panthers a 6-4 lead. Unfortunately, the Lady Panthers allowed three sixth inning runs to the Bulldogs to fall behind, 7-6 heading into the seventh inning. The Lady Panthers would get another triple from Tate, but the team would not get the run across the plate and ended the day with the loss.
 
Claflin sophomore Ava Brown (7-6) took the pitching loss for the Lady Panthers. She threw three innings and finished with three runs allowed (three earned) with five strikeouts. Fellow sophomore Sydra Pendleton started the game and went three innings.
 
With the loss, the Lady Panthers finish the 2025 season with a 24-24 overall record and their third straight CIAA Softball Championship Round loss. For more information on Lady Panthers softball, contact the Claflin University Office of Athletics Media Relations at (803) 535-5548 or log on to www.athletics.claflin.edu.