FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — Fayetteville State (8-9) softball staged a dramatic comeback and walk‑off finish Tuesday, rallying past Carolina (N.C.) (8-9) 6–5 in eight innings as the Broncos erased a four‑run deficit and delivered the decisive blow in the bottom of the eighth.
The game opened as a pitcher's duel, with both teams held scoreless through the first two innings. Carolina broke through in the third, stringing together four consecutive hits to plate three runs. A two‑run double by Jocelyn DeMoss and an RBI double from Emma‑Lea Cabral gave the Bruins an early 3–0 advantage.
Fayetteville State threatened in the middle innings but struggled to capitalize, leaving runners on base in the third and fifth. Carolina added to its lead in the sixth when Skyla Hailey singled home a run, pushing the margin to 4–0, and extended it to 5–1 in the seventh on Cabral's solo home run.
The Broncos finally found their spark in the sixth when Sydney Jackson launched a solo homer to right‑center, putting Fayetteville State on the board. That swing proved to be the turning point.
Trailing by three in the bottom of the seventh, the Broncos mounted a furious rally. After a leadoff walk and a wild pitch moved a runner into scoring position, Madison Heath delivered an RBI single to cut the deficit to two. Moments later, Jackson stepped to the plate and delivered the game‑changing blow, blasting a three‑run home run to center field to tie the game at 5–5 and ignite the Fayetteville State dugout.
Carolina was unable to score in the top of the eighth, and the Broncos seized their opportunity under the international tiebreaker. With a runner placed at second, Treja Patterson singled to center field, and a fielding error allowed the winning run to score, sealing the 6–5 walk‑off victory.
Jackson led the Broncos' offense with two home runs and four RBIs, accounting for all but two of Fayetteville State's runs. Heath added two hits and a key RBI, while Patterson's final swing delivered the decisive moment. In the circle, the Broncos' pitching staff held Carolina scoreless over the final two innings to allow the comeback to unfold.
The win capped a resilient performance by Fayetteville State, which showed patience early, toughness late, and delivered when it mattered most—turning a late deficit into a dramatic extra‑inning triumph.
