Top seed Stillman dominates en route to HBCUAC Softball Championship

Stillman College went unbeaten in the 2025 HBCUAC Softball Championship.

April 25, 2025

DECATUR, Ala. - April 25, 2025 - The top seed Stillman College softball team went through the 2025 Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) Softball Championship unscathed, clinching the title with a 10-3 victory over No. 2 seed Dillard University in the championship game Friday at Wilson Morgan Complex.

The Tigers (33-11) outscored their opponents 29-10 in their three games and only trailed in five innings. The title is Stillman's first as a member of the HBCUAC and eighth conference title in program history. It earned its second consecutive berth into the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Softball National Championship Opening Round. The Tigers will find out their site and opponents during the NAIA Selection Show at 5 p.m. on May 7.

Avary Lumpkin was named 2025 HBCUAC Softball Championship Most Valuable Player. She went 6-for-12 with seven RBI and two runs. The full 2025 All-HBCUAC Softball Championship All-Tournament Team is listed below.

2025 All-HBCUAC Softball Championship All-Tournament Team

MVP: Avary Lumpkin, Stillman College

Leona Joshua, Rust College
Jennifer Gress, Dillard University
Sydney Arnett, Oakwood University
Avary Lumpkin, Stillman College
Madison Clark, Dillard University
Ciana Rolle, Rust College
Miani Burton, Talladega College
Kierra Diggs, Voorhees University
Toni Sims, Oakwood University
Katie Johnson, Oakwood University
Ta'Nia Hickson, Voorhees University
Lauren Haskins, Stillman College
Sofi Wagner-Stiles, Talladega College

CHAMPIONSHIP
NO. 1 STILLMAN 10, NO. 2 DILLARD 3
Boxscore

For the first time in the tournament Stillman struck first. Lauren Haskins led off with an infield single and stole second. She scored on a wild pitch
Stillman broke the game open with six runs in the third inning, extending their lead to seven
Karli Davidson delivered the critical blow with a bases-clearing double, which brought home three runs
Dillard got on the board in the fourth, taking advantage of a Stillman error
Ca'Terra Bates and Nialah Long hit RBI singles
Kyiera Torrence cut the margin to four with an RBI single in the fifth
Stillman added three runs in the sixth to push the margin back to seven.
Lumpkin went 2-for-4 with an RBI double and scored a run
Davidson went 2-for-3 with her three-RBI double
Jasmine Wade earned her 12th win, holding the Bleu Devils to three unearned runs on four hits
Haley Weatherspoon went 1-for-2 and scored a run
Dillard finished the season 19-18

LOSER'S BRACKET FINAL
No. 2 DILLARD 11, No. 5 RUST 3
Boxscore

After Rust struck first with an RBI single by Ciana Rolle, Dillard took the lead with four runs in the second.
Madison Clark cleared the bases with a double to give the Bleu Devils a three-run lead.
The Bleu Devils followed with four runs in the third to expand its lead to six.
Mhallayah Picou hit a two-RBI single and scored on De'Asia Davenport's ground ball to second.
Dillard put the game away in the fourth. Clark scored on a double steal. An error brought home Clark. Long hit an RBI single to score Jennifer Gress
Picou went 3-for-3 with two runs and two RBI
Clark went 2-for-3 with a run and her three-RBI double
Gress picked up her eighth win. Only one of the three runs she allowed were earned and she struck out four batters.
Rolle went 2-for-2 with an RBI
Rust finishes 2-2 in the tournament and 12-33 overall

THURSDAY
NO. 1 STILLMAN 7, NO. 4 OAKWOOD 3
Boxscore

Oakwood struck first when Jordan Howard sparked a two-out rally with a walk. Anna Jones hit a single to second base. Toni Sims put the Ambassadors on the board with a three-run home run over the left field wall. Oakwood didn't get another hit the rest of the game.

An RBI triple by Katelyn Lankford in the second and a ground ball to short by Carolyn Carter in the fourth cut the margin to one. Avary Lumpkin gave the Tigers the lead with a two-RBI single up the middle in the fourth. Madison Bubel increased the lead with a run-scoring single to between shortstop and third. Lumpkin upped the advantage to three with an RBI double in the sixth. She pitched six innings in relief to earn her fourth win.

NO. 2 DILLARD 5, NO. 3 TALLADEGA 4, 8 INNINGS
Boxscore

Dillard overcame two deficits to defeat Talladega College in an extra-inning walk-off victory.

In the fourth inning, Trenity Okedele reached on a dropped popup by the third baseman. With two outs, Brooklyn Baltzell drew a walk. Raychelle Williams pinch ran for Okedele. De'Asia Davenport doubled to center field. Baltzell tied the game at two, scoring on a wild pitch. Madison Clark hit an infield single, which brought home Davenport to put Dillard in front 3-2. Talladega answered in the fifth. McPhee leadoff with a triple and scored when she drew a throw by the first baseman and outran two Dillard fielders to the plate. Burton followed with a single and scored on an errant throw by the catcher.

Nialah Long led off the sixth with a walk. She advanced on a sacrifice bunt and a ground ball to the pitcher. Kyiera Torrence brought her home with an infield single to short. Neither team gained the lead in the seventh. Sarah Couey was placed on second for Talladega in the eighth. She advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt but was thrown out on a groundball to short. Jennifer Gress struck out Beautiful Curry to end the inning. With one out, Long hit a line drive that went off the pitcher's glove allowing Haley Weatherspoon, who was placed on second to score the winning run.

NO. 1 STILLMAN 12, NO. 2 DILLARD 4, 6 INNINGS
Boxscore

Dillard struck first with an RBI double by Madi Clark and an RBI single by Jennifer Gress.
Stillman answered with a squeeze bunt by Lily Stone and an RBI single by Katelyn Lankford
The Bleu Devils retook the lead in the second on a home run by Morgan Williams.
Stone tied the game in the fourth on a sacrifice fly
Avary Lumpkin gave the Tigers the lead with a three-run home run
Lauren Haskins sealed the game with a three-run home run in the sixth inning
She went 2-for-3 with four runs and three RBI
Alex Erwin went 4-for-4 with two runs and two RBI
Jasmine Wade picked up her 12th win
Clark went 2-for-3 for Dillard with two runs and an RBI
De'Asia Davenport went 2-for-4

No. 5 RUST 6, No. 4 OAKWOOD 4, 8 INNINGS
Boxscore

Leona Joshua escaped a bases-loaded and no outs situation in the bottom of the fourth with two strikeouts and a fielder's choice which resulted in an out at home.
Rust took a 2-1 lead in the fifth on an RBI single by Kayla Townsend which scored Kamyrn Sariah
Oakwood tied the game in the bottom of the fifth. Jordan Howard led off with a walk and Anna Jones singled. Howard scored on a bad throw by the shortstop attempting to turn a double play.
Joshua retired Oakwood in order in the sixth and seventh innings
She gave Rust the lead with a 2-RBI single in the eighth
Rust scored two runs on a popup and an error
Toni Sims hit a two-run home run to cut the margin to two
Sariah went 2-for-4 and scored three runs
Joshua went 2-for-4 with three RBI and earned her seventh win in the circle. Only two of the four runs she allowed were earned.
Joshua limited the Ambassadors to four hits and struck out six batters.
For Oakwood Anna Jones got a hit and scored on Sims home run
Only two of the five runs Sydney Arnett allowed were earned. She struck out four batters
The Ambassadors finished 2-2 in the tournament and 9-30 overall

NO. 5 RUST COLLEGE 3, NO. 3 TALLADEGA COLLEGE 0
Boxscore

Leona Joshua earned her sixth winning, holding the Tornadoes to four singles and struck out nine
She hit an RBI double in the first and an RBI single in the third
Ciana Rolle went 2-for-3 with a triple and scored two runs
Talladega only had three runners advance to second
Miani Burton went 2-for-3
Miranda Butler started and went 2 ⅓ innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits and struck out two
Sofi Wagner-Stiles threw 4 ⅔ scoreless innings and struck out four
The Tornadoes went 1-2 in the 2025 HBCUAC Softball Championship and finished 13-17 overall

NO. 4 OAKWOOD UNIVERSITY 15, NO. 6 VOORHEES UNIVERSITY 6, 5 INNINGS
Boxscore

Oakwood scored in every inning and took advantage of seven errors by Voorhees
Voorhees struck first. Kierra Diggs led off with a single and scored on an error. Ta'Nia Hickson reached on fielder's choice and scored on single
The Ambassadors responded with five runs on four hits and three errors
Jana Morrow gave Oakwood the lead with an RBI single
An RBI single by Anna Jones and a run by Jordan Howard on a wild pitch increased the lead to 8-2 in the second.
Voorhees cut the margin to three with three runs in the third on an RBI double by Hickson, an error and a single by Dominique Snodey
Oakwood responded with three runs and pushed its advantage to six
An RBI double by Sara Tate, RBI singles by Katie Johnson and Kaley Fuller sealed the game
Voorhees went 0-2 in the HBCUAC Championship and finish 6-23.

WEDNESDAY
NO. 4 OAKWOOD 9, NO. 5 RUST 1, 6 INNINGS
Boxscore

Oakwood scored first with a two-RBI single by Sydney Arnett and a ground ball by Jana Morrow
Ashlyn Hallman increased the lead to 4-0 with an RBI single in the fourth.
Rust got on the board in the fifth when Kayla Townsend singled to the pitcher to score Rha'Kya Jones
The Ambassadors put the game away with an RBI single by Toni Sims and a run-scoring single by Mary McCutchen
Hallman went 3-for-4 with an RBI
Sims went 3-for-3 with two runs and an RBI
McCutchen went 2-for-3 with two RBI
Arnett picked up the win only allowing a run on two hits and struck out nine.

NO. 3 TALLADEGA 12, NO. 6 VOORHEES 4, 5 INNINGS
Boxscore

Voorhees struck first with an RBI triple by Te'Yana Towner, a ground ball by Ta'Nia Hickson to short and a double steal by Nia Marshall and Dominique Snodey
Talladega answered with an RBI double by Emma Givens, Mia Vazquez scored on a passed ball and Jazmeen Bibbens tied the game with an RBI single
The Tornadoes took the lead in the second when Sarah Couey scored on a passed ball and Miani Burton hit a sacrifice fly
An RBI single by Marshall pulled Voorhees within one
Talladega scored three runs to extend their lead to four
RBI singles by Sophia McPhee, Addison Fields and Emma Givens sealed the game
Givens went 3-for-3 with two runs and two RBI
McPhee went 2-for-3 with a run and two RBI
Miranda Butler earned her second win with nine strikeouts

-HBCUAC-

About HBCU Athletic Conference
The HBCU Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) is the only HBCU conference in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The HBCUAC membership includes Dillard University (LA), Fisk University (TN), Oakwood University (AL), Philander Smith University (AR), Rust College (MS), Southern University at New Orleans (LA), Stillman College (AL), Talladega College (AL), Tougaloo College (MS), University of the Virgin Islands (St. Thomas), Voorhees University (SC), Wilberforce University (OH), and Wiley University (TX). HBCUAC sponsors championships in men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's track and field, women's volleyball, softball, and baseball. In 2022, the HBCUAC secured the largest media rights deal in conference and NAIA history, signing a multimillion-dollar deal with Urban Edge Network. On July 1, 2024, the conference rebranded from the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) to the HBCU Athletic Conference, marking a new era for the conference that embodies the makeup of its membership. For more information, visit hbcuac.org.