North Carolina Central University

SOFTBALL

     by Bryan Jerrod Harvey -- NCCU Sports Information Student Assistant

     (RALEIGH, NC - April 27, 2001)  With the bases loaded, and nobody out, Fayetteville State University's Rhoshawnnah Clark took four balls from North Carolina Central University's Lisa Hicks to walk in Petrice Butler for the game-winner in the bottom half of the seventh inning for a 9-8 victory, and advance to the final day of the CIAA Championships.
     NCCU (17-13) fell behind 2-1 in going into the second inning, only to use some great momentum to tie the contest at 3 in the third inning.
     In the top of the fourth inning, NCCU's Lanelle Turner got on base from an error by FSU's Shammera Henderson.  Three batters later, Stephanie Kyle batted Turner in to grab a 4-3 lead going into the bottom half of the inning.
     FSU was not finished scoring yet, though.  In the bottom of the inning, the Lady Broncos' on errors by Lady Eagles' pitcher, Lisa Hicks, and first baseman, Alexis Cole, to score two runs before the inning was over.  The Lady Eagles trailed 5-4 going into the bottom half of the batting order at the top of the fifth inning.
     NCCU head coach Lori Vazquez and her assistants wanted to see the Lady Eagles play with more intensity.  So, that is just what they did in this batting order.
     First baseman Cole,  started things off by blasting a shot past FSU shortstop Henderson to get on base with a single.  After that, second baseman Jahara Hojilla walked, and Turner pumped a hit past third base to load up the bases.  Then, Cole, Hojilla, and Turner came home on separate opportunities at bat from Latisha McEachern and Kyle.  At the end of the inning, the Lady Eagles had the lead, and seemingly the contest, in hand with a 7-5 advantage.
     But the sixth inning was all about the Lady Broncos and their power hitting from Clark, LaKelli Butler, and Henderson ...with her two RBI's.  With the inning over, the damage had been done.  NCCU trailed going into the final inning by a score of 8-7.
     With the season on the line, it came down to NCCU's Turner ...leading off the inning, as she blasted a shot into deep right field for a stand-up double.   McEachern would get on base after an error by Butler, and Kyle would sacrifice fly to left-center field to bring in Turner ...and tie the game at 8 a piece.
     But after pitching two straight seven inning games, Lady Eagles' pitcher Hicks seem to get a little tired.  She would allow Butler to lead-off the inning with a shot into shallow centerfield on a 1-1 pitch.  Following that hit, LaDonna Smith would single, and then advance to second ...while Butler advanced to third ... on a passed ball by Ealy.
     Then came the most controversial call of the day.  The NCCU coaching staff, with nobody out, and two people on in scoring position, would call for an intentional walk to load the bases for Clark.  After starting the count 0-1, Hicks would pitch Clark four straight balls in order to walk home Butler to end the contest ...and the season for the Lady Eagles.
     NCCU would lose the contest, and exit in the second-round of the CIAA Championships, by the score of 9-8 to the Lady Broncos.  FSU will now prepare to battle the Lady Bears of Shaw University tomorrow morning at 10:30.