Dillard outlasts Stillman to claim first HBCUAC softball title in program history

NORTHPORT, AL — Dillard (La.) broke through for its biggest win yet on Wednesday, defeating Stillman 10-7 to capture the HBCU Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) Softball Championship and secure the first championship in program history since the team's reintroduction in 2023.

The title-clinching victory came against a familiar foe. Dillard and Stillman finished the regular season as co-champions, and the championship matchup delivered a fitting finale—one Dillard ultimately controlled early and survived late.

Dillard (27-14) set the tone immediately when Ja'Lise Stewart launched a two-run home run in the first inning. The Bleu Devils kept piling on, scoring in each of the first four frames to build a 9-2 advantage. Haley Weatherspoon delivered a key two-run single in the second, while Sa'Vya Sutherland added a run-scoring double and later drove in another on a sacrifice fly.

Stillman (27-21) refused to fold, collecting 15 hits and pushing across five runs from the fifth through sixth innings to tighten the game to 9-7. Alex Erwin powered the comeback effort with a two-run homer as part of a three-hit, four-RBI day, and Stillman brought the tying run into view after a four-run sixth.

But Dillard answered in the bottom of the sixth. With pressure mounting, the Bleu Devils manufactured an insurance run when Ca'Terra Bates worked a bases-loaded walk to make it 10-7.

In the circle, Kylie Price earned the win for Dillard, battling through five innings, and Mary-Elizabeth Landry closed the door with two scoreless innings for the save.

Offensively, Dillard's lineup was led by Stewart (3-for-4, three runs, two RBIs), Bates (3-for-3, two RBIs, plus the pivotal RBI walk), and Sutherland (two RBIs). The Bleu Devils finished with 13 hits and consistently cashed in early scoring opportunities to create the cushion they needed.

When the final out was recorded, it marked more than a tournament win—it marked a milestone. In just its third season of existence, Dillard softball is now officially on the conference summit, turning a regular-season tie into a championship statement with a win over its co-champions when it mattered most. The ladies will be competing in the NAIA tournament scheduled to take place May 11-14.

-Bleu Devils-