RALEIGH, NC – The Winston-Salem State Lady Rams (21-21) played a solid overall game, but it was not enough as the team took a hard-fought 5-2 loss to the top-seeded Chowan Hawks (24-12) in the 2015 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Softball Championship Tournament. With the loss, the Lady Rams fall to consolation bracket of the double-elimination tournament and cannot afford another loss in their bid for consecutive conference championships.

The Lady Rams played well in the game, but could not stop the aggressive Hawks in the game. After allowing a pair of second-inning runs to the Hawks, the Lady Rams answered in the third inning when sophomore outfielder Chyna Riley hit an RBI single that scored sophomore first base Jada Johnson and left the Lady Rams trailing 1-2. The Lady Rams fell behind 5-1 after allowing a fifth-inning sacrifice fly and a pair of sixth-inning runs that were scored on a bases-loaded walk and a bases-loaded hit batter. The Lady Rams mounted a seventh-inning rally when freshman outfielder Anna Marino hit an RBI groundout that scored senior infielder Katrina Bartlett. However, the run was all that the Lady Rams could muster and finished the day with the loss.

As a team, the Lady Rams had a solid overall effort both on offense and defense. The Lady Rams totaled five hits in the game while holding the aggressive Hawks to just six hits. Five WSSU players recorded one hit each with Bartlett hitting the sole extra-base hit, a seventh-inning double. She also scored a run. Riley was one-for-two with an RBI as well while Johnson went one-for-two with a run score.

Sophomore Mercedes Hargett (9-12) took the pitching loss, going 5.1 innings. She allowed four earned runs in the game, but also recorded seven strikeouts. Riley came in for 0.2 innings and allowed one earned run and two walks.

With the loss, the Lady Rams fall to 21-21 for the season and fall to the consolation round of the 2015 CIAA Softball Championship Tournament. The team will face the Virginia Union Panthers in a 10:00 a.m. game tomorrow morning at the Walnut Creek Softball Complex. For more information on Lady Rams softball, contact the WSSU Office of Athletic Media Relations at (336) 750-2143 or log on to www.WSSURams.com.