Stillman downs Dillard to win HBCU Athletic Conference Softball Championship

Stillman College went unbeaten in the 2025 HBCUAC Softball Championship

DECATUR, Ala. – 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

All-HBCUAC Softball Teams, Award Winners
Player of the Year: Lauren Haskins, Stillman
Newcomer of the Year: Alex Erwin, Stillman
Freshman of the Year: Jordan Howard Oakwood
Hitter of the Year: Lauren Haskins, Stillman
Pitcher of the Year: Jasmine Wade, Stillman
Defensive Player of the Year: De’Asia Davenport, Dillard
Designated Player of the Year: Madison Clark, Dillard
Utility Player of the Year: Katelyn Lankford, Stillman

Coach of the Year: Joel Penfield, Stillman
Assistant Coach of the Year: Brittany Ensley, Dillard
Bloosky Elite 9 Academic Award: Ashlyn Hallman, Oakwood

First Team
P Jasmine Wade, Stillman
P Sofi Wagner-Stiles, Talladega
P Leona Joshua, Rust
C Ca’Terra Bates, Dillard
1B Avary Lumpkin, Stillman
2B Katelyn Lankford, Stillman
3B Madison Bubel, Stillman
SS Lauren Haskins, Stillman
LF Alex Erwin, Stillman
CF Carolyn Carter, Stillman
RF Jalaa Hawkins, Oakwood
DP Madison Clark, Dillard
UTL Katelyn Lankford, Stillman

Second Team
P Faith Byram, Stillman
P Jennifer Gress, Dillard
P Sydney Arnett, Oakwood
C Lily Stone, Stillman
1B Jazmeens Bibbens, Talladega
2B Kyiera Torrence, Dillard
3B Mhallayah Piccou, Dillard
SS De’Asia Davenport, Dillard
LF Jennifer Gress, Dillard
CF Nailah Long, Dillard
RF Makyleigh Hollinger, Stillman
DP Karli Davidson, Stillman
UTL Brooklyn Baltzell, Dillard

HBCUAC 2025 SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME RECAPS

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