HBCU LA Affair: SU vs. XULA Softball

Every once in a while, a Louisiana HBCU Affair takes place. Lady Jags softball faced off against Xavier University Gold. The Lady Jags came into the game trying to build some momentum after their last two wins against the Lady Golden Lions of the University of Arkansas Pine-Bluff.
The game started with a tight defensive battle, as neither team managed to score in the first two innings. However, Xavier University broke the deadlock in the third inning, putting themselves on the scoreboard with an early lead. As the game progressed, Xavier extended their lead, adding two more runs in the fifth inning, while Southern University struggled to generate offense. It wasn’t until the sixth inning that the Lady Jags managed to get on the scoreboard with one run with the help of a base hit from freshman pitcher Miranda Roldan.
Unfortunately for the Lady Jags, Xavier University continued to capitalize on their opportunities, scoring two additional runs in the seventh inning. Southern University, on the other hand, faced difficulties making solid contact with the ball throughout the game, ultimately struggling to produce runs. The Lady Jags’ performance was further impacted by their baserunning and defensive errors. Southern University was thrown out on the bases three times during the game, highlighting challenges in their baserunning strategy. Additionally, the team committed three errors compared to Xavier’s one, indicating defensive lapses that allowed Xavier to capitalize on scoring opportunities.
Overall, the outcome of the game was attributed to several factors. Firstly, the Lady Jags struggled with quality at-bats, finding it difficult to make consistent contact with the ball to generate scoring opportunities. Additionally, issues with baserunning, as shown by multiple outs on the bases, contributed to missed chances to advance runners and score runs.
Senior catcher Sydney Wesley says, “In the game tonight, we weren’t able to adjust to such a slow pitcher, but that is something we will be putting a lot of work into at practice.” Junior Short Stop Alissa Castaneda feels “what caused us the game was being unable to make adjustments where necessary at the plate as well as baserunning errors. We aren’t going to let this loss stop us from what needs to be done this weekend against PV.”
Moving forward, the team can focus on refining their hitting approach, making better baserunning decisions, and tightening up their defensive execution to prevent errors and limit the opponent’s scoring opportunities. Despite the loss, the Lady Jags can use this game as motivation to fine-tune their skills and plays so that they can have a strong performance this weekend against Prairie View A&M. With continued dedication and practice, Southern University softball can bounce back from this loss and strive for success in the remainder of the conference play and hopefully SWAC.