MONTGOMERY, Ala. - The #3 west seeded Prairie View A&M softball team fell to #2 East seed Alabama A&M 5-3 in the opening round of the 2018 SWAC Softball Tournament in Montgomery, Ala.

PVAMU led off with the first run of the game in the top of second taking a 1-0 lead.  First baseman Laurisa Hernandez hit a double into center field to lead the Lady Panthers.  Catcher Amanda Ford singled up the middle advancing on the throw to score Hernandez for the first run.
 
The Lady Bulldogs posted two runs in their half of the second inning to take a 2-1 lead over the Lady Panthers.  With two scoreless innings the Lady Panthers added another run to tie the game at 2-2 in the top of fifth.  Destinee Williams singled through the left side to open the fifth frame.  After a steal by Williams, Alyssa Garcia reached base on a walk.  Kelsey Coronado hit a sac bunt to move the runners in scoring position.  After a pitching change by AAMU the Lady Panthers' Hernandez hit a sac fly to score Williams to knot the game at two.
 
Down 3-2 heading to the seventh, Prairie View A&M's Gabriella Fonseca led off with a single to left center replacing Shelby Williams in the lineup.  S. Williams came back in to take the base for Fonseca stealing second base. D. Williams moved her to third with a fly out, and Garcia drew a walk to put runners on each corner. S. Williams scored on a sac fly by Coronado to tie the game at 3-3. Alabama A&M scored a pair of runs in the final at bat for the final margin.
 
Laurisa Hernandez was 2-for-3 with a double, a RBI and a run scored. Castillo received the loss, allowing seven hits and five runs – three earned – in 6.0 innings. 
 
The Lady Panthers will return to the field when they face the loser of theof the Texas Southern/Mississippi Valley game on Thursday, May 10 at 9 a.m., at the Barbara Williams Softball Complex.