Prairie View, Texas. – Ashley Higgins earned her sixth win, and the defense held Southern in the seventh to preserve a 5-2 win Friday afternoon at the PVAMU Softball Complex.
Higgins (6-8) pitched a complete game, allowing nine hits, two runs, walking three and striking out one, holding Southern to two runs, one in the first and one in the sixth.
The bats were hot as the purple and gold (12-19, 5-2 SWAC) ended the day with seven players collecting hits. Southern dropped to 11-10, 3-3 SWAC.
Although Southern struck first in the top of the first frame, PVAMU's Kelsey Coronado led off the second with a double to right field, Coronado moved to third on a ground out to the shortstop by Alyssa Garcia. With two outs Amanda Ford reached base on an error by the third baseman, allowing Coronado to score to knot the game at one.
The Lady Panthers continued to light up the scoreboard in the bottom of the second, thanks to a single to right field by centerfielder Shelby Williams. While S. Williams was stealing second, a throwing error by the catcher lead her across the plate to take a 2-1. Kylar Ward-Flowers singled up the middle to begin the base running for the Lady Panthers. Laurisa Hernandez came right behind her to hit another single to right center with Ward-Flowers advancing to second. With two runners on base, Coronado landed on base on an error by the leftfielder, that lead to scoring Ward-Flowers and advancing Hernandez to second.
A. Garcia was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Amanda Ford singled up the middle to push Hernandez across the plate for a 4-1 lead as the bases remained loaded Kellady Johnson also singled up the middle, advancing Ford and Garcia and scoring Coronado to close out the inning leading 5-1.
Prairie View A&M will close out the three game series in double header action on Saturday, with a 1 p.m. pitch at the PVAMU Softball Complex.
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