South Carolina HBCU Sports This Week

*Jasher Cox Named to NCAA Div. II Nominating Committee*

Allen University Director of Athletics Jasher Cox has been appointed as a member of the NCAA Division II Nominating Committee, the NCAA announced on Wednesday.

Cox will serve on the committee for the next three years.

"It's a tremendous honor to be fortunate enough to serve our NCAA member institutions," Cox said. "I cannot wait to get started."

In his role on the committee, Cox will be responsible for sustaining and advancing the Association's mission, traditions, values and reputation.

He will serve the Association as a whole and support the committee and the NCAA when needed while also serving as an advocate for the NCAA.

Cox has been the AD at Allen since the summer of 2021 and is in the process of overseeing the University in their transition to a full-time Div. II member. Cox also revitalized the university's ticket system by partnering with HomeTown Ticketing, a digital ticketing system that was put in place to better facilitate the purchasing and dissemination of tickets to all Allen home sporting events. Cox has also launched The Hive, a five-part professional development series for over 200 Yellow Jacket student-athletes.

*Lady Panthers Fend Off Lincoln (Pa.) for an 8-6 Win at CIAA Softball Round Up*

ELIZABETH CITY, NC - The Claflin Lady Panthers (15-8, 3-0 CIAA) claimed their seventh straight win when the team held off the Lincoln (Pa.) Lady Lions in an 8-6 victory. The Lady Panthers combined some great hitting with some timely defense to claim the win.

As a team, the Lady Panthers totaled 10 hits in the game, including four extra base hits. Claflin freshman Kourtney White led the way with a four-for-four batting effort with a double, two runs scored, and a run batted in (RBI). She was the only Lady Panther with more than one hit in the game. Sophomore first base Alexandria Beavers hit a grand slam home run in the win.

Claflin senior Jaelyn Jackson (9-4) came into the game to claim the win. She totaled seven strikeouts with no earned runs allowed on no hits. Sophomore Breyanna Collins started the game and she threw 2.2 innings She finished the game with two strikeouts.

With the win, the Lady Panthers improve to 15-8 overall and 3-0 in CIAA play. The team will return to the diamond later in the afternoon when they take on the Bowie State Bulldogs in a rematch of last season's CIAA championship game.

*Lady Bulldogs Close Out Weekend With 1-1 Split*

ORANGEBURG, SC — Despite the rain delay, a fifth inning home run from De'Asia Lowther helped South Carolina State capture their first conference win over Delaware State, Saturday (March 24th) in game one of a MEAC Doubleheader at Lady Bulldogs Softball Field.
The Lady Bulldogs (2-19 overall) won the first game 4-2, while suffering a 2-4 setback in game two to close out the day.
During the first contest of the series, SC State racked up ten hits. Lowther, Macy Prince, Destiny Calloway, and Kaylah Leslie all had multiple hits, while the home team finished the contest with zero errors.
In the second contest, M. McIntosh took the win for the Lady Hornets. McIntosh pitched all seven innings, allowing only two runs on four hits and five strikeouts. Macy Prince led the way for the Lady Bulldogs with two hits in and three at bats.
Sunday's final game of the series was canceled, due to inclement of bad weather. SCSU and DSU closed out the weekend series with a 1-1 split.

NEXT UP: South Carolina State will resume play on the road Saturday, April 1st (double header 1pm/3pm) and Sunday, April 2nd (12 pm) against University of Maryland Eastern Shore in an Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) showdown at Princess Anne, MD.

*Allen Softball Post Solid Effort vs. Edward Waters*

COLUMBIA, S.C. - The Allen University softball team posted a solid effort against SIAC foe Edward Waters University in game two at home on Saturday afternoon.

The EWU women grabbed a win against the Yellow Jackets in game one 20-1. However, AU played much better in game two leading 1-0 after three innings of play as they had strung together four consecutive shutout innings from the 5th inning in game one through three frames in game two. It was their biggest stretch of consecutive "zeros" since they threw six straight scoreless innings in the win over Lemoyne-Owen earlier in the month.

Unfortunately, Allen could not build on their lead stranding runners in scoring position over the first two innings before a leadoff triple from senior shortstop Breighana Spencer in the third inning. she was eventually tagged out at home as she tried to steal home base during a fielders' choice. Senior Pitcher Daeshonna Beckham then drove in freshman Mattie Riddick for the Allen run but CF Morgan Moon's deep flyout that almost cleared the fence and 1B Jasmine Blaxton groundout ended the threat.

But EWU (24-4, 10-2) would find their offense in the 4th inning leading off the frame with back to back home runs to take a 3-1 lead. A walk, HBP, passed ball, an error and a single by the Tigers then followed as they posted 7 runs to take a 7-1 lead after four innings. EWU then padded their lead in the 5th on another home run to make it 9-1 before their top reliever closed out the game with strikeouts.

Some highlights for the Yellow Jackets included junior outfielder Dasia Harden picking up her first career hit in the 2nd inning of game two while Spencer led the offense with her first triple and 13th stolen base. Beckham-Timmons struck out three in the tough loss while allowing only 5 hits and 6 earned runs on 5 walks over 5 innings.

In game one, Beckham threw solid first and 5th innings allowing just one combined run while striking out three. However, she finished allowing 18 hits and 15 runs over 5 innings. Beckham finished with 6 strikeouts on the day.

Spencer and Beckham led the offense in game one, both knocking doubles. Beckham's double was her 4th of the season while Spencer recorded her sixth.

The conference foes were supposed to finish out their three-game set on Sunday, but rain and thunderstorms postponed the game.

*Lady Tigers Fall To Fort Valley State*

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Fort Valley State pounded out 15 hits and took advantage of seven Benedict errors to defeat the Lady Tigers 12-2 in a SIAC softball game on Saturday afternoon at Tiger Field.

Benedict was leading the second game of the doubleheader 11-6 in the top of the seventh inning when the game was suspended due to darkness. The two teams will resume the game on Sunday prior to their regularly-scheduled third game at 1 p.m.

In the first game, Benedict scored first in the bottom of the first, as Deyonce Lewis tripled to left-center field and came home on a groundout by T'yannah Lake. The Lady Wildcats took the lead in the second inning, scoring four runs on three hits and three Benedict errors. Fort Valley State added three more runs in the fourth inning and one more in the fifth and another in the sixth for a 9-1 lead.

Benedict added a run in the bottom of the sixth. Lake opened with a single, Daneshia Wooten singled and Tre'sor Eady followed with another single to score Lake.

In the second game, Fort Valley State opened the game with three runs in the first inning. Benedict scored one run in the first inning, then took the lead in the fourth inning when Lake hit a grand slam for a 6-3 lead. Lake added an RBI single in the fifth inning to give the Lady Tigers a 9-4 lead. Ericka Young had a two-run double in the sixth for an 11-6 lead.

Benedict is now 12-17 overall and 5-6 in the SIAC. Fort Valley State moves to 10-17 overall and 7-8 in the SIAC.