ATLANTA, Ga. - Clark Atlanta softball wrapped a three-game home series with SIAC opponent Benedict College with a 12-11 loss in the finale. Benedict College won both games of the doubleheader on Wednesday.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:Wednesday Game 1 Score: Benedict 6, Clark Atlanta 3
Wednesday Game 2 Score: Benedict 15, Clark Atlanta 3
Thursday Score: Benedict 12, Clark Atlanta 11
Record: Benedict (9-9; 3-3 SIAC), Clark Atlanta (4-12, 3-3 SIAC)
Date: Mar. 9-10, 2016
Location: Lady Panther Field | Atlanta, Ga.
HOW IT HAPPENED WEDNESDAY GAME 1:In the first inning,
Ashley Nelson starting things with a walk and moved around the bases on back-to-back passed balls to score the opening run of the game
Benedict tied the game in the second before CAU retook the advantage in the home half of the inning with a solo homerun to lead off by
Sharnitra Woods.
BC tied the game in the fifth inning with CAU responding with a run in the home half of the fifth.
Asia Nelson started the inning with a single through the left side. She would steal second base before moving to third on a bunt single from her sister, Ashley. Asia would cross home plate on a wild pitch.
Benedict added two runs in each of the final two innings.
Ajada Cofield (3-6) pitched the complete game with nine hits and two strikeouts while allowing six runs - three earned - for her seventh complete game of the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED WEDNESDAY GAME 2:Benedict erupted for nine runs in the top of the first. The Tigers were aided by one error and five walks in the inning while recording just four hits.
Ashley Nelson walked to start the second game - the same as the opener - and eventually stole home for the lone run in the inning as the Panthers put two batters on without a hit.
Benedict added runs in the third - two and fourth innings - four - to hold a 15-1 lead heading to the bottom of the fifth inning.
With two outs and
Jessica Vason on third base,
Sharnitra Woods added her second homerun of the day for the first CAU hit of the game.
Asia Nelson secured the second Panther hit singling down the right field line.
Veranae Woods (1-2) started the game and lasted just 0.1 innings with two hits and eight runs allowed - seven earned - before giving way to Cofield in relief. Cofield struck out two and allowed 10 hits and seven runs - six earned in relief.
HOW IT HAPPENED THURSDAY:Clark Atlanta struck in the home first inning after
Ashley Nelson singled with one out to left centerfield. Nelson advanced to second on a single by
Zhandria Usher. Nelson scored on an RBI-single by
Sharnitra Woods.
Each team scored twice in the second inning.
Ashley Nelson delivered the RBI-single up the middle to score
Shalonda Woods and Vason.
Benedict score two more times in the third inning to lead 4-3 before Clark Atlanta scored three runs in the fourth and twice more in the fifth inning.
Sharnitra Woods homered for the third-consecutive game with a 3-run HR to left centerfield in the fourth. Vason and
Tenicia Winston scored in the fifth inning with CAU collecting just one hit in the frame; putting CAU ahead 8-4.
Benedict tied the game in the sixth with four runs and moved ahead, 12-8, with four more runs in the seventh inning.
Ashley Nelson started the seventh with a walk ahead of Usher singling up the middle.
Sharnitra Woods delivered her fourth homerun of the series and second of the game to pull CAU within one run, 12-11.
Shalonda Woods (0-2) pitched her first complete game of the season with nine hits leading to 12 runs - nine earned - while striking out one and walking three batters.
THE NUMBERS:Game 1: 3 runs, 7 hits, 4 errors
Game 2: 3 runs, 2 hits, 1 error
Game 3: 11 runs, 14 hits, 7 errors
Sharnitra Woods collected six hits in the series (6-for-10) with five going for extra bases including the four homeruns. In the three games she tallied 19 total bases and picked up 10 RBI.
Usher (four) along with Vason,
Ashley Nelson,
Asia Nelson - three apiece - and
Shalonda Woods (two) had multiple hits in the series.
Sharnitra Woods, Vason, and
Ashley Nelson each scored a team-high four times.
Vason went 3-for-3 in stolen base attempts while both Ashley and
Asia Nelson went 2-for-2.
In the two combined outings for Cofield on Wed. she pitched 11.2 innings with 19 hits allowed and 13 runs scored - nine earned - while striking out four and walking three.
UP NEXT:Clark Atlanta hosts Edward Waters for a doubleheader on Mar. 14 at 5:00 p.m. in advance of seven games in three days with the SIAC Crossover from Jasper, Ala. set for Mar. 17-19.
