Raleigh, N.C. — Livingstone College softball closed out the CIAA Round-Up on Saturday with two competitive matchups, falling 13–6 to Virginia Union and 8–3 to Lincoln (PA) despite strong offensive moments and several standout individual performances.
GAME 1: Virginia Union 13, Livingstone 6
In a high‑scoring opener, Livingstone matched Virginia Union hit‑for‑hit but couldn't slow down the Panthers' early offensive surge.
Virginia Union jumped ahead 2–0 in the top of the first, but the Blue Bears answered immediately with a three‑run bottom half.
Rylee Watson doubled in
Valeria Rolon, and
Alyse Stokes followed with a two‑RBI single scoring Watson and
Lanise Pates to give Livingstone a 3–2 lead.
Virginia Union responded with four runs in the second and five more in the third, capitalizing on timely hitting, including a two‑run homer from Janiya Brown and a three‑run shot by Madison Hayes.
Down 11–3, Livingstone kept fighting. In the third,
Khala Porter ripped a two‑RBI single, and
Aniyah Jones added an RBI single to cut the deficit to 11–6. Despite generating 15 hits, the Blue Bears couldn't mount further scoring as the Panthers added insurance runs in the sixth.
Livingstone's offense produced its highest hit total of the weekend, but Virginia Union's big innings proved too much to overcome.
GAME 2: Lincoln (PA) 8, Livingstone 3
In the final game of the Round-Up, Livingstone fell 8-3 to Lincoln (PA) despite a strong push in the middle innings and another standout effort from
Rylee Watson.
Lincoln opened with a three‑run first inning and added single runs in the third and fifth. Trailing 4–0, Livingstone broke through in the fourth: Watson launched a three‑run home run, scoring
Valeria Rolon and Pates, cutting the Lions' lead to 4–3.
Lincoln responded with one run in the fifth and three more in the sixth, extending the margin to 8–3. Livingstone put runners on base late but couldn't bring them around.
UP NEXT
The Lady Blue Bears will look to bounce back on Wednesday, April 1, when they travel to Carolina University for a road doubleheader at 1 PM and 3 PM.
