Box Score
GULFPORT, Miss. – The Prairie View A&M Lady Panthers claimed the 2022 SWAC Softball Tournament Title in a thrilling part two of the Championship Match on Saturday against Alabama State Lady Hornets, winning by a score of 9-1.
“It’s unbelievable,” said PVAMU head coach Vernon Bland. “This team started the season 0-19 and came back to win the 2022 SWAC Softball Championship. I give all the credit to my coaches and the team for never giving up and believing in the process. This is just an accumulation of all our hard work finally coming together.”
PVAMU’s Taliya Talley opened the bottom of the second inning with a double to right center. Destinee Smith followed right behind her with a bunt single. After stealing second base the Lady Panthers had runners on second and third and an infield single by Natalie McLennan loaded the bases.
Brandi Juarez was walked bringing in Talley for a 1-0 lead. Audrey Garcia tripled to left center to take a 4-0 lead. With the bases loaded again PVAMU’s Jerrica Rojas hit a grand slam to give the Lady Panthers a 8-0 lead over Alabama State.
Prairie View A&M added an insurance run in the bottom of the third. Alabama State answered with a run in the top of the fifth. From there pitcher freshman Cailin Massey closed the door on a ASU comeback attempt, allowing only five hits while going the distance as Prairie View A&M clinched a bid to the 2022 NCAA Softball Tournament.
The offense was led by Jaylyn Davis, who went 2-for-3 from the plate, while Rojas was 1-for-3 with 4 RBIs and Garcia was 1-for-4 with 3 RBIs.
Transfer sophomore catcher and Tournament Most Valuable Player Biviana Figueroa has been a key contributor for the Lady Panthers on and off the field. As part of a group of transfers that helped the Lady Panthers end league play as SWAC Tournament Champions. Against Bethune-Cookman earlier in the tournament Figueroa hit a homerun to the right field to give PVAMU a lead they would not relinquish.
“We look to shock someone at regionals,” said Bland. “Next year, this team will return with the exception of two student-athletes as we look to defend our title.”
The Lady Panthers will find out their next opponent during the 2022 NCAA Softball Selection Show tomorrow, May 15
th at 6:00 p.m. CST on ESPN2.
2022 SWAC Softball All-Tournament Team
Briana Paysinger- Bethune-Cookman
Mila Rodriguez- Texas Southern
Jazmine Gendorf- Texas Southern
Paytin Mercado- Southern
Roxsanna Segura- Southern
Lauren Stewart- Jackson State
Jaeda Gardner- Alabama State
Kindall DeRamus- Alabama State
Bailey Greenlee- Alabama State
Jerrica Rojas- Prairie View A&M
Cailin Massey- Prairie View A&M
Biviana Figueroa- Prairie View A&M
Most Valuable Player
Biviana Figueroa- Prairie View A&M
Gallery: (5-10-2022) 2022 SWAC Softball Tournament
About the SWAC
The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is considered one of the premier HBCU conferences in the country and currently ranks among the elite in the nation in terms of HBCU alumni playing with professional sports teams.
Current championship competition offered by the league includes competition for men in Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field and Tennis.
Women’s competition is offered in the sports of Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field, Soccer, Softball, Tennis and Volleyball.
Follow the SWAC
For complete coverage of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, please follow the SWAC on social media at @TheSWAC (Twitter), @TheSWAC (Facebook), and @TheSWAC (Instagram) or visit the official home of the Southwestern Athletic Conference at
www.swac.org.