With the series on the line Saturday, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff softball team was one out away from taking a lead into the seventh inning.
Instead, Prairie View A&M rallied to take the lead and clinch the series with a 13-8 win at the Torii Hunter Softball Complex in Pine Bluff. The Lady Panthers then won the finale 8-0 in five innings to complete the sweep.
UAPB (10-26, 5-13 SWAC) led 8-7 with two outs and the bases empty in the top of the sixth inning of Saturday’s first game after pitcher Kamea Seunarine (0-1) completed her third trip through the Lady Panthers’ lineup.
Prairie View (20-17, 14-3) second baseman Kearstin Tinsley began the two-out rally with a single, which right fielder Isabella Rodriguez followed with a walk. Once both runners advanced into scoring position, left fielder Mia Nunez singled to drive both home and give Prairie View a 9-8 lead.
The next three hitters tallied RBI hits, followed by a walk. With the 10th hitter of the inning coming to the plate, UAPB pulled Seunarine for Traelen Humphrey, who struck out the first hitter she saw to end the rally.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Seunarine, making her second career start, pitched 5.2 innings and allowed 12 runs, 10 earned, on 11 hits with seven walks and three strikeouts. Prairie View added a two-out run in the seventh on a Humphrey wild pitch.
UAPB had led since scoring 6 runs in the bottom of the second inning. The first four Lady Lion hitters reached base. After UAPB scored its first run on an error, catcher Naiyestlie Ware drove in a run on a fielder’s choice and right fielder Angelina Rivas hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 3.
Two batters later, UAPB second baseman Lyric Perry hit a go-ahead, 3-run home run to left center field, making it 6-3 and chasing Prairie View starter Cailin Massey after 1.2 innings. Massey allowed 6 runs on six hits with three strikeouts.
Both teams scored 2 runs in the third, with UAPB’s coming on a 2-run home run to right field by first baseman Danika Bryant. Prairie View scored the game’s final 8 runs across the final three innings to steal the win from UAPB.
Prairie View cruised in the series finale and scored in every inning but the fifth. UAPB starting pitcher Heidi Price (1-10) allowed 6 runs in 2.2 innings on seven hits and six walks with one strikeout. Humphrey pitched the final 2.1 innings, allowing 2 runs, 1 earned, on one hit with one walk and two strikeouts.
Madaleyne Martinez (1-4) pitched a complete game shutout for the Lady Panthers, allowing four hits and two walks with three strikeouts. She also pitched the final two innings of the first game, giving her a combined seven scoreless innings in the series.
UAPB tallied 10 hits in Saturday’s first game but only four in the finale.
Lady Lions head coach Michael Bumpers declined to speak to the media following Saturday’s games.