GAME 2 | Fayetteville State 7, Shaw 5
FAYETTEVILLE, NC -- The Fayetteville State softball team closed out Monday's doubleheader on a strong note, holding off a late rally to defeat Shaw 7–5 in the second game of the day. The win pushed the Broncos to 19–19 overall as they prepare to shift their focus to postseason play.
Fayetteville State struck first and never relinquished the lead, jumping out to a 2–0 advantage in the bottom of the first inning. With the bases loaded, Tiara Stueck delivered a clutch two-run double to right field, scoring Madison Heath and Sydney Jackson to give the Broncos an early cushion.
The Broncos broke the game open in the second inning with a four-run outburst. Aggressive baserunning and Shaw defensive miscues led to the first run before Treja Patterson came through with a two-run single to highlight the inning and extend the Fayetteville State lead to 6–0.
Tamarah Lowery continued her strong season in the circle, earning the win after tossing 5.2 innings. Lowery surrendered just two earned runs on three hits, walked two, and struck out seven, keeping Shaw off the scoreboard until the fourth inning.
Shaw got on the board in the top of the fourth on a two-run home run from Jordan Booker, trimming the lead to 6–2. Fayetteville State responded immediately in the bottom half of the inning when Heath led off with a solo home run to center field, pushing the margin back to five runs at 7–2.
The Bears made things interesting in the seventh inning, capitalizing on a pair of hits and defensive errors to score three runs and pull within 7–5. With the tying run at the plate, the Broncos' defense turned a double play to put an end to the threat and secure the victory.
Heath led Fayetteville State at the plate, finishing 2-for-3 with a home run, an RBI, and a walk. Stueck went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs, while Patterson added two hits and two RBIs of her own. The Broncos out-hit Shaw 8–6 and showcased their speed by stealing five bases as a team.
Booker paced Shaw's offense by going 2-for-2 with a home run and two RBIs, while Iona Davis provided three scoreless innings in relief for the Bears.
With the regular season complete, the Broncos will now head to Orangeburg, South Carolina, for the CIAA Softball Championship, scheduled for May 7–9, looking to carry their momentum into postseason competition.
