Shaw Comes Through Loser's Bracket to Take Softball Championship

DURHAM – A journey that began last Thursday with the Lady Bears losing to North Carolina Central in the first round of the 2003 CIAA Softball Tournament, ended with Shaw winning two games today, 8-4 and 8-1, over Virginia State at Valley Springs Park. Shaw scathed off elimination and win its first CIAA Softball Tournament Championship since 1996. Just like the women's cross country team and the women's basketball team, the Shaw women's softball team has done it as well. The Lady Bears will receive an automatic bid to the South Atlantic Regionals.

CIAA Softball Champions Shaw University

Lady Bear Shonda Welch does not have the highest batting average on the team. She does not have the most runs batted in. She does not have the best slugging percentage. She does not have the most strikeouts. She is just simply the best.

Welch a junior from Halifax, VA and the CIAA's Most Valuable Player in 2003 earned the tournament's Most Outstanding Player award. She went 3-for-9 with 3 RBI today. In game two, she pitched seven innings giving up two hits, one run, while striking out 12.

In game one, Shaw scored first as CIAA Rookie of the Year Felicia Sprattley's sacrifice fly drove in Tanesha Haynes and Shaw led 1-0. But the Trojanettes would score three runs on starter LaToya Martin in their half of the first to take a 3-1 lead. The Lady Bears would cut their deficit to 3-2 in the second as Welch drove in Haynes. In the top of the fourth, Welch drove in what turned out to be the game-winning runs as her two-run double scored Haynes and Dishondra Goree and gave the Lady Bears a 4-3 lead. That double capped off a five-run inning in which the Lady Bears took a 7-2 lead.

From that point Martin was in control of the game. She went seven innings, striking out five to pick up her 27th win of the season (27-8), a school record. She was 5-1 during the tournament.

In game two, the story again was Welch. Shaw would score first as Branda Best's double drove in Sprattley. Welch pitched brilliantly, carrying a no hitter in to the top of the sixth. With one out in the inning, Tia Hines, who was also pitching a brilliant game, homered to tie the score at 1-1. In the Lady Bear half of the sixth they broke the game wide open, sending 10 batters to the plate. Syreeta Mason's two-run double scored Natasha Bain and Andrea Blake and gave the Lady Bears a 3-1 lead. The Lady Bears would score four more runs as they recorded five hits and the Trojanettes had five errors in the inning.

Most Valuable Player: Shonda Welch, Shaw University