Box Score

Fayetteville, NC - The Fayetteville State University women's softball team beat Benedict College 12-3 in game one, but lost game two 6-4 in the 2015 season opener at Leonard Sanders Softball Field on Saturday, February 14th. The Lady Broncos debut this season with a 1-1 overall record.

FSU opened the scoring in the bottom of the second inning. Freshman outfielder Maggie Smith (Fayetteville, NC) smacked a RBI single to bring home freshman pitcher Carley Green (Fayetteville, NC) from third base. Junior outfielder Alex Wickham (Fayetteville, NC) singled up the middle to score Smith later in the inning. The Lady Broncos recorded four runs and three hits to take a 4-0 lead heading into the third.

Green kept the Lady Tigers scoreless in the top of third. She faced four batters with only one walk. Fayetteville State exploded with four runs and four hits in the bottom of the third. Wickham had a 2-RBI single this time to score Smith and junior shortstop Haley Wood (Spring Hope, NC).

Benedict broke their scoreless drought with two runs in the top of the fourth. Victoria Bratton added an additional run with a RBI double up the shortstop gap in the fifth inning. FSU still held a commanding 9-3 advantage entering the bottom of the fifth.

Wickham came through with yet another RBI single to extend the lead to 10-3. Later in the inning, junior second baseman Brittany Freeman (Fayetteville, NC) doubled to right field to score sophomore right fielder Ivory Gladden (Greensboro, NC) and Wickham. The Lady Broncos racked up a 12-3 victory in the fifth inning due to the NCAA eight-run rule.

Green recorded the victory on the mound with four strikeouts.

Fayetteville State started off fast in game two with three runs in the initial inning. Freshman catcher Shi-Cara Goins (Asheboro, NC) had a huge triple to left field, which scored Wickham from second. Benedict allowed four hits, three runs and had an error.

Both teams were scoreless in the second and third innings. The Lady Tigers erupted in the fourth inning to capture a lead. Bratton had a 2-RBI double, followed by a 2-run homer from Jasmin Sledge. Benedict held a 4-3 advantage from the fourth until the seventh inning. Kelsey James added two runs to their total with a single straight down centerfield.

The Lady Broncos trailed 6-3 at the start of the bottom half of the seventh. Sophomore third baseman Rebekah Reep (Fayetteville, NC) hit a sacrifice fly to bring home Green. Unfortunately, that would be the only run scored for FSU. Benedict escaped with a 6-4 win for a split in the non-conference doubleheader.

Fayetteville State will quickly return to the diamond on Sunday, February 15th against Salem International University. First pitch in this non-conference doubleheader is scheduled for 12 noon at Leonard Sanders Softball Field.