JSU Softball Claims First SWAC Title

IRONDALE, Alabama - The Jackson State Lady Tigers softball team defeated the Mississippi Valley State Devilettes 6-2 in the 2011 Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game Sunday evening at Shea Brothers Field. With the win Jackson State wins its first conference championship in softball and claims the SWAC's automatic bid to the NCAA regional.

The Lady Tigers never trailed in the championship finale against Valley. Wendi Reed, the tournament MVP, opened the game with a solo home run and Farren Wright scored on an Arianna Smith single to give JSU a 2-0 lead in the first inning.

Reed scored a run for JSU in the third on a Wright single. Valley scored two runs in the bottom of the third to cut the lead to 3-2. Anesha McClendon helped increase JSU's lead to 4-2 when she hit a solo homer in the sixth. JSU put the game out of reach in the seventh when Reed hit a two run blast to off the left field foul pole, scoring LeEthel Guillory.

Jackson State entered the tournament as the second seed in the eight-team double-elimination field. The Lady Tigers were one game out from elimination, but came back to defeat Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Alcorn State twice to stay alive.


Videographer: SupportJacksonState

Jackson State became the third team from the state of Mississippi to win the softball crown in the last three seasons. Alcorn State and Mississippi Valley State were the previous two winners.

Jackson State and first year head coach Rick Fremin will now await its seeding into the NCAA Softball Tournament. The selection show airs Sunday, May 15 at 9 p.m. CST on ESPNU.

2011 SWAC All-Tournament Team
CeCe Kolesar, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Kiah Williams, Southern
Audrey Phillips, Southern
Jasmine Hubbard, Alcorn State
Bianca Armstrong, Alcorn State
Nicole Burr, Mississippi Valley State
Alex Robertson, Mississippi Valley State
Janell Plaza, Jackson State
LeEthel Guillory, Jackson State
Wendi Reed, Jackson State (MVP)

VISIT: JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY
VISIT: JSUTIGERS
VISIT: MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY
VISIT: MVSUDELTADEVILS

Southern University women advance to SWAC final, 78-53

GARLAND, Texas — With four minutes left in a 78-53 blowout victory of Mississippi Valley State, facing heavy pressure in the backcourt, Southern University guard Ashley Augerson noticed a longtime teammate breaking free. Augerson heaved an end-to-end pass toward Aerica Hicks, a fifth-year senior who’s known for her defense — not for filling up the box score.

Nonetheless, Hicks hauled in Augerson’s pass, then scored on a layup — just as she was fouled from behind. She completed the three-point play, and the Jaguars bench erupted. By then, they had all but wrapped up a big win in the semifinal round of the Southwestern Athletic Conference women’s tournament.

By then, they knew they’d play Saturday for another championship.




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