By: FVSU Office of Sports Information

After rain postponed the start of the NCAA Division II South Regional Softball Tournament by one day, the Lady Wildcats of Fort Valley State University (FVSU) made their first ever NCAA tournament appearance today in Huntsville, Alabama.  In a 12:30 match up, the Lady Wildcats met the Chargers of the University of Alabama in Huntsville.  FVSU finished the regular season ranked eighth in the South Region while the Chargers finished as the region's first place team.

After the first inning of play, it became clear why the Chargers are the region's number one team.  After the Lady Wildcats failed to score in the top half, the Chargers sent 11 batters to the plate and scored eight runs on five hits to take an 8-0 lead.

The Lady Wildcats failed to score in the second inning after sending only three batters to the plate. The Chargers added to their lead in the bottom half of the inning by punching across three more runs on four hits to expand their lead to 11-0.

The start of the third looked promising for the Lady Wildcats when Jessica Buchannan broke up the Charger no-hitter with a led off single to right field.  However, a strike out, followed by a double play ended the inning for FVSU.  In their half of the third, the Chargers pushed across another run to build a 12-0 lead.

After a scoreless fourth for FVSU, the Chargers struck for more in the bottom half.  The four run inning was sparked by a lead-off home run and a two-run homer as the Chargers took their lead to 16-0.

With the “ten run rule” in effect and the Lady Wildcats going down in order in the top of the fifth inning, the Chargers won 16-0 and advance in the winner's bracket.  The loss drops the Lady Wildcats to the loser's bracket where they will meet the Buccaneers of Barry University in the tournament's first elimination game at 5:30 p.m. (CST) today.

-Wildcats Athletics-