March 28, 2004
Winston-Salem, NC - The Winston Salem State Lady Rams' softball team was tested on Sunday afternoon at Southpark Field by a very good Virginia State University team, but the Lady Rams passed that test as they were able to record their 12th victory of the season and improve to 9-0 in the CIAA as they defeated the Lady Trojans by the score of 8-3 in the first game of a pair of CIAA softball contests.
The Lady Trojans and Lady Rams matchup proved to be as everyone had anticipated...a very evenly matched affair. Defense proved to be the name of the game, at least in the contest's early-going as the two teams combined for only two hits and held each other scoreless for the first two innings of play.
It was Virginia State however that would draw first blood in the contest in the very next inning as a single ripped to the pitcher's mound ricocheted off of WSSU starting pitcher Heather Davis' glove and into right field and scored a run for the Lady Trojans. An error two plays later would result in three more runs for the visitors and VSU found themselves leading the contest 3-0 after two and a half innings of play.
The Lady Rams proved to be undaunted as Shannon Davis calmly stepped to the plate with two on and two outs in the bottom of the third inning and ripped a double to the center field fence that scored LaKelsha Carney and L'Tisha Bell and cut the Rams' deficit to only a single run headed into the fourth inning.
WSSU's hot bats continued to pound the bell well into the next inning as the Lady Rams belted five hits in the bottom of the fourth inning and scored four runs to take their first lead of the contest at 6-3.
The Rams victory train looked to be rolling, but starting pitcher Heather Davis had to come out of the game with an injury at the top of the fifth inning, forcing head coach LaTaya Hilliard-Gray to look to her bullpen for support. Fortunately for WSSU, the Lady Rams were able to call upon the services of Amber Nance. After recording her first win of 2004 in her first appearance of the season yesterday, Nance came on and pitched brilliantly, striking out two batters to help WSSU retain their lead.
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The Lady Rams would ultimately tack on another pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth inning as they held on for the 8-3 win and won their ninth straight conference contest.
Earning the win was WSSU starting pitcher Heather Davis. She gave up three runs on five hits while striking out five batters en route to her 11th victory of 2004 as she improves to 11-6 overall. Amber Nance recorded her first save of the season in the relief effort as she struck out five in three innings of work.
WSSU improves to 12-6 overall and stays flawless at 9-0 in the CIAA. The Lady Trojans fall to 13-16 overall and 11-4 in the CIAA. Both teams return to action at 2:00 pm when they square off in the second game of the scheduled softball doubleheader.
