ORANGEBURG, S.C.-The Claflin University softball team bats were on fire today as they swept Shaw University, 9-0 and 21-1, in its 2016 home-opener at the Adden Street Field in Orangeburg. The wins, the first of the season for Claflin, pushes the Lady Panthers record to 2-6 on the short season.
In Game One, Claflin led by four runs after the end of the first. The Lady Panthers put one additional run in the second to take a 5-0 advantage. Shaw managed to hold Claflin scoreless over the next three innings, but the Lady Panthers bats came back to life in the bottom of the six. Claflin put up four runs off four hits with four Lady Bears runs en route to its nine runs.
Freshman Shaquailla German, who went all six innings for the Lady Panthers pitched a no-hitter with 16 strikeouts and just two walks to pick up the win. She also hit one of four homeruns by the Lady Panthers. Frances Perry was the losing pitcher for Shaw in Game One.
Game Two was all Claflin. The Lady Panthers put up five runs in the bottom of the first. Claflin had a breakout second inning, putting up 15 runs off 10 hits with run errors to take a 20-0 lead by the end of two. The Lady Panthers put up one additional run in the bottom of the third. Shaw managed to score one run in the top of the fourth.
Claflin had five players to finish with multiple hits on the day, led by Jasmine Squirewell who had three runs with four hits, including a homerun and six RBI’s. LaKaylin Lee had four runs with three hits and four RBI’s while Chelsea Hall recorded three runs with two hits (one homerun) and three RBI’s. Courtney Burns had four runs with two hits and Jamelah Thomas had two runs with three hits on the day.
Julie Slade scored the lone run for Shaw, who fell to 2-2 on the season.
Tiaria Norman picked up the win in Game Two and Chyna Gross was the loser for Shaw University.
Claflin will return home on Friday, Feb. 19, when they host Columbia College in a non-conference doubleheader. First pitch for game one is set for 2 p.m.
