BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Wildcats had their offense churning on Thursday. Fort Valley State used a 13-run ending against Kentucky State for a 14-7 victory, before it shut out LeMoyne-Owen, 8-0 in five innings, for the softball sweep of the final Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Crossover day.
Tied at 4-4 heading into the bottom of the fifth, FVSU (12-10/8-3 SIAC East) took the lead for good. Alexia Scott drove in Riley Youngblood in on a fielding error, before Bri Stephens was hit by a pitch for the second run, Mariah Williams lined a two-run single to left field and Leah Leonard drove Williams home to finish the six-run frame for a 10-4 lead. Kentucky State added three scores in the sixth, before FVSU answered with four of its own in the home part of the inning, including a Williams' two-run single. The Thorobreds went down in order in the top of the seventh to end the contest.
The Wildcats wasted no time to take control of the late game. With the first three batters reaching base, Laila Leverett singled home Williams with Ashtyn Perkins lofting a sac fly and Riley Jenkins an RBI ground out for a 3-0 lead. Thomas belted a solo homer in the second. The FVSU offense added another score in the fourth and three more in the fifth to end the game via the 8-run rule. Rachel Clark allowed only two hits with a walk and six strikeouts against LeMoyne-Owen in the circle.
Of the 20-hit attack in 12 frames, Williams registered a quarter of them with a 5 for 7 afternoon with three runs and four RBI. Leah Leonard powered a 4 for 7 day with two runs and three RBI. Ramirez hit 3 for 4 with three runs, a triple and a RBI in the opener. Thomas was 2 for 4 with her solo home run, a single, three runs and a trio of RBI.
Alexia Scott added two singles, three runs and drove in two. Jenkins singled and had two RBI, while Perkins had one hit with two runs, one RBI and two stolen bases. Leverett drove in a runner on her single and Youngblood had a pinch-hit single.
Game 1
Williams started the day for the Wildcats with a bunt single, moved to third on a KSU error and ran home on Leonard's driving single up the middle in the first. The Thorobreds edged ahead with a pair in the third (2-1) before the Wildcats tied the contest on an Aundraya Lavaud run on a wild pitch before Jennifer Ramirez tripled and scored on Avery Thomas' single for a 4-2 lead.
FVSU has almost a week off before it travels to Americus, Ga., for a twinbill at Georgia Southwestern next Wednesday (March 20) for a 3:00 and 6:00 p.m. first pitches.
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