RALEIGH, N.C. – Jasmine Rios (Fr./Greensboro, NC) hit two home runs and totaled six RBIs as Southern Division Co-Champion Saint Augustine's University advanced to the semifinal round with victories over Bowie State University and Virginia State University in the CIAA Softball Championship Tournament on Thursday, April 30, 2015. The Lady Falcons stopped Bowie State 11-6 and upended Virginia State 9-1.

The Lady Falcons will face Chowan University in a battle of the division's top seeds on Friday, May 1, at 12:30 p.m., weather permitting. Chowan is the Northern Division No. 1 seed and the Lady Falcons are the Southern Division top seed. If the Lady Falcons win, they will advance to the championship round for the second straight year.

The victories on Thursday improved the Lady Falcons' overall record to 20-12. This is their first 20-win season under Head Coach Nikki Bynum Bumpass, who was named the conference's coach of the year.

Rios went 4-for-7 at the plate and scored two runs for the Lady Falcons. CIAA Rookie of the Year Marley Parker (Fr./Langley, British Columbia) went 3-for-6 with a home run, triple, four RBIs and four runs scored. All-CIAA player Daja White (Jr./Leland, NC) went 4-for-6 with two doubles, three RBIs and one run, and Meranda Zanni (So./Phoenix, OR) went 4-for-7 with a double and four runs scored.

The Lady Falcons started slowly in the first game against Bowie State, the Northern Division No. 4 seed. They fell behind 5-0 in the top of the first inning but outscored their opponent 11-1 the rest of the contest.

Parker sparked the Lady Falcons in the bottom of the first with a three-run homer which scored herself, Korey Hill (So./Virginia Beach, VA) and Meranda Zanni (So./Phoenix, OR). Rios drilled a two-run homer in the second inning which scored herself and Taylor Walters (Sr./Douglasville, GA) to tie the score 5-5.

The Lady Falcons, weren't through, however, as they scored three more runs in the second inning for an 8-5 lead. Hill scored Danyelle Noland (Fr./Nashville, NC) on a single and Parker's single scored Zanni. Daja White scored Hill on a single.

The Lady Falcons added three more runs in the contest. Jo'Landa White (Sr./Leland, NC) scored Zanni on a single in the fourth inning and Rios scored Walters on a single in the fifth inning. Jo'Landa White added another RBI single which scored Parker in the sixth inning for an 11-5 lead. Cassandra Clayborne hit a solo home run for Bowie State in the seventh inning for the final score.

All-CIAA player Hannah Stutts (Sr./Statesville, NC) was the winning pitcher after throwing seven complete innings. Nicoleen Ochoa was the losing pitcher.

After knocking off Bowie State, the Lady Falcons advanced to the winner's bracket to take on Virginia State, the Northern Division No. 2 seed.

The game was close early on. Daja White tied the contest 1-1 in the second inning with a sacrifice fly which scored Parker.

The Lady Falcons scored eight runs in the final two innings to win easily. Rios connected on a three-run homer to centerfield in the fifth inning which scored herself, Walters and Tyanna Petersen (So./Brooklyn Park, MN) for a 4-1 lead.

In the sixth inning, the Lady Falcons ended the contest on the mercy rule after scoring five runs. Hill started the scoring outburst with a single which scored Zanni. Daja White scored Parker on a double and then scored on a fielding error. Jo'Landa White scored on a passed ball and Regime McCombs (Fr./Greenville, SC) scored on a wild pitch to stop the contest.

Zanni gained the pitching win after allowing one hit in the last three innings. Mckenzie Love took the loss for Virginia State.