PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas – Prairie View A&M built an early lead and never looked back, scoring in each of its first five innings to close out a 7-0 victory over visiting Alcorn on Saturday afternoon and complete the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Softball series sweep of the Braves at Lady Panthers Softball Stadium in Prairie View, Texas.
Prairie View A&M, now 25-14 overall and a dominant 17-1 in conference play, used a balanced offensive attack and a trio of pitchers to shut out the Braves, who fall to 13-30 on the season and 1-17 in SWAC play.
The host Panthers wasted no time getting on the board.
In the bottom of the first, first baseman Caidence Martin singled down the left-field line to plate Isabela Rodriguez, who had reached and swiped second before coming around to score on the throw. The Panthers added a run in each of the second and third innings on an RBI bunt single from second baseman Kayla Zaid at the top of the lineup and another run-scoring knock from Martin, pushing the lead to 3-0 through three frames.
The offense erupted for two more runs in the fourth, with Zaid and Rodriguez each delivering RBI singles up the middle to make it 5-0.
Prairie View tacked on two more in the fifth when pinch hitter Hannah Comeaux doubled to left-center to score Kearstin Tinsley, and Martiza Martinez followed with a run-scoring single to right.
Zaid finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs, while Rodriguez went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a steal of her own. Martin was 2-for-2 with two RBIs before being replaced in the fifth. Comeaux, in limited action, went 1-for-1 with a double, an RBI and a run scored.
On the mound, the hosts used a three-pitcher combination to keep Alcorn off the board throughout.
Madalyne Martinez earned the win, improving to 1-2, after tossing 3.1 innings and allowing just three hits. Gabrielle Larson bridged the gap with 1.2 innings of work, and Caden Young closed it out with a clean two innings, allowing one hit and striking out one.
Alcorn's
Chiara Olison absorbed the loss, dropping to 7-16, after surrendering all seven runs on 11 hits across six innings.
The Braves managed five hits on the day, with left fielder
Yahnya Acevedo going 2-for-2 while teammates
Jamyiyah Cotten,
Rajayla McBride and
Karmen Bernard each added singles. However, Alcorn stranded eight runners and could not manufacture a run against the Prairie View staff.
Alcorn remains on the road for nonconference midweek play when traveling to Southeastern Louisiana on Tuesday, April 21, at 5 p.m., in Hammond, Louisiana.
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