Salisbury, N.C. – The Livingstone College softball team closed out its 2026 season Friday afternoon at the Jaycee Optimist Sports Complex with a hard‑fought doubleheader split against Johnson C. Smith University, dropping a narrow 7–6 decision in the opener before rallying for an exciting 8–7 walk‑off victory in the finale.
Game 1 – Johnson C. Smith 7, Livingstone 6
Livingstone battled throughout the opener and carried momentum into the late innings, but Johnson C. Smith used a four‑run seventh inning to edge the Blue Bears, 7–6.
After falling behind 1–0 early, Livingstone tied the game in the fourth and erupted for five runs in the sixth to take a 6–3 lead.
Rylee Watson highlighted the inning with a two‑run double, while
Makaylah Sutton and
Lanise Pates added RBI hits to cap the rally. Pates also went 2‑for‑4 at the plate and drove in a run.
Johnson C. Smith answered with multiple extra‑base hits in the final inning to reclaim the lead. Despite collecting 10 hits and mounting a late push, the Blue Bears were unable to respond in the bottom of the seventh.
Game 2 – Livingstone 8, Johnson C. Smith 7
The Blue Bears bounced back in dramatic fashion in the nightcap, scoring four runs in the seventh inning to secure an 8–7 walk‑off win and end the season on a high note.
Livingstone trailed 7–4 entering the final frame before
Valeria Rolon and Natayah Abdul‑Hakim reached base to set the stage. A two‑run double from Jada Hoke pulled the Blue Bears within one, and moments later Sutton delivered the decisive blow with a two‑run single to center field, bringing home the tying and winning runs.
Earlier in the game, Pates delivered a clutch bases‑clearing triple in the fourth inning, accounting for three RBIs, while
Gerielle Dumervil added a two‑run double. Rolon finished with three hits and crossed the plate twice.
Emma Cardenas earned the win in the circle, working four innings before Pates closed the game in relief to seal the victory.
Season Wrap‑Up
With the split, Livingstone finished the 2026 regular season with 13 wins—the program's highest win total since 2012—marking a significant milestone as the Blue Bears continue to build momentum under the current staff.
Livingstone will now turn its focus to postseason play, as the Blue Bears head to Orangeburg, S.C., for the CIAA Softball Championship, set to begin May 7.
