April 9, 2009
Final Stats
Fayetteville, NC - Fayetteville State can now boast about having the best women's program in the CIAA Western Division. After defeating Johnson C. Smith 12-5 and 8-0 in a softball double-header, the Lady Broncos claimed another 2008-09 Divisional Title. Briana Montgomery (Fr. - Fayetteville, NC - Jack Britt HS) may have been credited with one hit in the first game but she was also credited with five RBIs.
Thus far this academic year, Fayetteville State has also claimed the Volleyball, Women's Basketball, and Bowling crowns which accounts for four of the six sports sponsored by the CIAA.
Briana Montgomery spent most of her life in California. Her family relocated to Fayetteville, NC due to the military and she finished her high school years at Jack Britt High School. Montgomery fouled out to the catcher with her first at bat as the first batter of the second inning. She failed to beat the throw with her second plate appearance as her sacrifice bunt ground out to the pitcher in the fourth inning. In the fifth inning, Bobbi Boucher stood on second after Danisha Lyons reached first on an error by the third baseman. For her third at bat and a 5-4 score in favor of FSU, Briana Montgomery belted the ball towards the right fielder. As the crowd grasped it's breathe, the ball grazed the glove of the grazing right fielder, the stampede commenced. Boucher rounded third and scored, Lyons touched second, third, and then home. The defense scrambled as the right fielder turned to case the ball which rolled inches from the fence. Before the bright florescent ball reached the infield to end the play, the wheels on Montgomery advanced her to the top of the diamond, past second base and sliding home for three RBIs on the error by the right fielder and an 8-4 lead.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Montgomery sent the ball back into the right field for a single to bring in the final two runs of the game. Demarius Pankey scored from third base while Boucher beat the tag for the 12th run of the game.
Pitcher Tracy Brighter (7-5 overall), the CIAA Pitcher of the Week, stuck out 16 of 27 batters and allowed five hits. In the seven innings pitched, four JCSU batters, were walked, two reached base due to errors, while two flew out and grounded out.
Fayetteville State dominated the final game of the double-header 8-0. Pitcher Kristen Britt (freshman - Delco, NC) improved to 10-12 on the mound. Britt allowed two hits from 17 batters but struck five of them. Five batters grounded out to third-baseman Demarius Pankey (Laurinburg, NC).
Alicia Frank and Rakhee Smith hit doubles during the game while Briana Montgomery hit the only triple. Dominique Mills had the biggest bat in the second game with an in-the-park home run. Mills hit the homer in the second inning for two RBIs and a 4-0 lead. The Lady Broncos scored two more runs in the third and fifth inning for the win.
Seabrook Park enjoyed its largest field of fans of approximately 60. The double-header was the first of the season to begin at 5:00 pm. The atmosphere and weather was very enjoyable along with the crowning of the divisional title.
Fayetteville State (19-23 overall, 13-1 CIAA) will host Virginia State today in Seabrook Park for a 3:00 double-header. The Lady Trojans (9-7, 9-3 CIAA) ranks second in the CIAA Eastern Division.
The Lady Broncos will host its final regular season game on Tuesday, April 14 at 1:00 pm. Tracy Brighter will pitch the first game while Kristen Britt will throw in the second. Fayetteville State will play for the CIAA Softball Championships from April 16 - 18 in Petersburg, VA.
