SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Prairie View A&M softball opened the 2026 season on Friday with a split in San Antonio, cruising to a 7–1 win over Manhattan in the opener before dropping a hard-fought contest to Bradley in game two at H-E-B Field.
Game 1 | Prairie View A&M 7, Manhattan 1
The Panthers set the tone early behind a dominant pitching performance from Kayla Adams, who struck out eight Manhattan hitters over seven innings to earn her first win of the season. Adams allowed just one run on six hits while walking one, facing 29 batters in a complete-game effort.
Prairie View jumped out to a commanding lead in the second inning, scoring five runs to seize control. Senior Dayani. McKinley anchored the offense, going 3-for-4 with a double, a home run, and three RBIs. Kayla Zaid added a double as the Panthers out-hit the Jaspers 7–6 and went 4-for-11 with runners in scoring position.
After Manhattan cut the deficit to 5–1, Prairie View answered with two runs in the sixth inning to seal the 7–1 victory.
Game 2 | Prairie View A&M vs. Bradley
Prairie View showed resilience at the plate in the nightcap, collecting nine hits and continuing to pressure Bradley throughout the contest, but could not overcome the Braves' explosive middle innings.
The Panthers chipped away offensively with single runs in the fifth and sixth innings. Zaid delivered a run-scoring single in the fifth to plate Mia Nunez, briefly trimming the margin and marking her second RBI hit of the day. Prairie View finished the game with three doubles, three walks, and six runners left on base, displaying balance throughout the lineup.
Bradley, however, answered with timely power. Breeding recorded multiple two-run singles to drive in three runs, while Kierston McCoy delivered the decisive blow in the sixth inning with a four-run home run as part of a five-run frame that pushed the score to 16–6. McCoy finished with two hits, three runs scored, and five RBIs, while Schlosser added three hits, three RBIs, and two runs.
Bradley starter Abby Rusher earned the win in the circle, throwing six innings and allowing nine hits and five earned runs with three strikeouts.
Prairie View A&M will look to build on its strong season-opening performance and early offensive success as play continues in San Antonio on Saturday.
