BSU Lady Bulldogs Hit a Rough Patch

By Maurice Berry

The Lady Bulldogs softball team has endured a tough stretch but they have managed to stay perfect in the CIAA Eastern Division. On March 20, they lost 15-10 in extra innings to Division I Hampton University.

Hampton totaled 18 hits in the slugfest which included a team-high three hits each for Sharde' Estep, Kelsie Saunders, Jada Jeffries and Adrinna Scott.  Scott led the Lady Pirates with four RBI and Jeffries along with Sydni Benton added three RBI each. The Lady Bulldogs were led by, Shalai Tabor, who had four RBI's.

As a team, Bowie State pounded out 12 hits but committed six errors.  Hampton was not immune from the error bug, committing six of their own. Lady in the day, they beat up on Virginia Union 13-0. In that game they were led by freshman Megan Alexander, who struck out nine batters and only gave up three hits. Her sister Kelley Alexander and Justine Smith both led the way with three hits.

            The Lady Bulldogs struggled to hit against West Chester University, with just three hits in two games losing 5-3 and 14-0. With the two loses the Lady Bulldogs' record dropped to 11-14. On March 28, they were swept by Wilmington (Del.) University, 11-9 and 7-3. Bowie State senior Faline Brown (Inwood, W.Va., Hagerstown C.C.) led the Lady Bulldogs with three hits in three at bats in game one. Senior Kelley Alexander (Damascus, Md., Covenant Life, Montgomery College) and junior Shalai Tabor (Waldorf, Md., Delaware State Univ.) tallied a pair of hits each. Tabor played a major role in Bowie State's run total in the opening game of the twin bill, belting two home runs. Tabor laced a two-run rocket in the first inning and crushed a grand slam to left on the bottom of the sixth inning.

            On March 31, the Lady Bulldogs remained perfect in the CIAA East by sweeping the Virginia State University Trojans 5-2, 5-4. They started the game on fire, leading 4-0 after the first inning.  Senior Elizabeth Slater (Glen Burnie, Md., Lenoir-Rhyne Univ.) jacked her second home run of the season in the top of the sixth to extend the Bowie State lead to 5-0.

The Lady Bulldogs got off to a rough start in April by being swept by Slippery Rock 5-2, 10-1. Freshman Amanda Hedgepeth (Odenton, Md., Arundel) paced Bowie State University with three hits and four other BSU players had at least two hits. Bowie State's lone run in the second game came in the fourth inning when Tabor cleared the right field fence with two outs in the inning. The homer was Tabor's league leading ninth of the season. The Lady Bulldogs' record now stands at (11-16, 5-1 CIAA). Keep your heads up Lady Bulldogs, it's a marathon, not a race. I believe the team will go on a run soon and when they do, look out!