The Clark Atlanta University Lady Panthers softball team gamely rallied in the sixth inning, but lost a tough battle against top-seeded Albany State 2-1 in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Softball Championships in Albany, Ga., Friday.

The Lady Panthers end their season with a 14-21 record, but they pushed the tournament's No. 1 seed to the brink in the tournament elimination game.

CAU's Skylar Smith pitched spectacularly, only giving up five hits and two runs to ASU (20-30), less than half as many runs as Albany State had averaged in their last nine games.  The Golden Rams scored both of their runs in the fourth inning on Glory Seay's two-out double. 

The Lady Panthers rallied in the sixth when Tatianna Kelly singled to left field and then moved to third on Chase Gray-Still's single to center.  Laterria Jones then singled, driving in Kelly.  CAU had the bases loaded but couldn't get the tying run in. 

The Lady Panthers weren't able to score in the seventh, ending their season.

Gray-Still led CAU with two hits in two at-bats and stole a base.  Kelly, Keshonna Terrell, and Jones had CAU's three other hits on the day.

ASU's Seay had the only extra-base hit for either team, the double that drove in the Golden Rams' two runs.