Orangeburg, S.C. (May 3, 2025) – Bowie State University and Claflin University went head-to-head in the 2025 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) softball championship for the fourth consecutive season.
Game 1
After two scoreless innings, Claflin came up to bat and were able to strike first, as a double by Cydney Cooper was proceeded by an RBI triple by Lauryn Foster to put the Panthers up 1-0. Later in the sixth inning, after Claflin’s Lauryn Foster and Jeniah Williams both managed singles, Michaela Cromartie found open space in the left-center field gap to bring home the two runners and increase the lead to 3-0.
The Bulldogs, however, refused to give up without a fight. In the bottom half of the sixth, a Presleigh Braxton single was followed up by a two-run home run by Taylor Dawkins, who crushed one over the left-center field wall to cut the deficit to one.
In the seventh inning, Foster smashed her second triple of the game down the left field line which brought home a run and helped provide a fourth insurance run for Claflin. She would score shortly after thanks to an RBI groundout by Jeniah Williams. Katelynn Grissom, who started the game for the Panthers, pitched an impressive complete game and was able to keep the Bulldogs off the scoreboard in the seventh inning to hold on for a 5-2 victory.
Game 2
The Panthers carried the momentum into the second game as they’d find themselves on the board thanks to some sneaky baserunning by Aniyah Jackson, who managed to force an error and score on a fielder’s choice by Lauryn Foster. The lead was short lived to Claflin, as a leadoff walk by Coreena Dunham followed by a pair of steals put her in position to score on a sac fly by Taylor Dawkins.
In the bottom of the third with two runners on, Aralynn Robinson knocked a single down the right field line and after some poor relays throws, the Bulldogs brought home a pair of runs to pull ahead, 3-1. Morgan Tate smashed an RBI triple in the top of the fourth to pull ahead by a run, but. Bowie State quickly got that run back in exciting fashion thanks to an inside-the-park home run in the bottom of the inning, knotting the game at four.
Claflin managed the first two batters of the fifth inning on base and were able to bring them in thanks to a sacrifice fly by Breyanna Collins, and an RBI groundout by McKenzie Whitener, who came in to pinch hit.
After a 45-minute rain delay, Bowie State came up to bat in the bottom of the sixth and managed three consecutive singles to load the bases for Mikayla Amos. With the game nearing its end, Amos came up big with a two-run double to put Bowie State ahead, 7-6.
With their backs against the wall, Claflin’s Morgan Tate came up to bat with two out in the top of the seventh. She made solid contact and knocked a triple just over the outstretched arm of the right fielder so set up for an exciting following at-bat. Bowie State’s Makayla Drakeford continued to attack the strike zone and managed to force a pop-out to end the game and clinch the title for Bowie State.
The Bulldogs now celebrate their third consecutive championship title and will automatically qualify for the 2025 NCAA Division II Softball postseason tournament, taking place May 22-28 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Bowie State will find out its ranking and schedule on May 5th.
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