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11
Winner Oakwood (AL) OAKWOOD 1-27
2
Talladega (AL) TALLADEG 11-26
Winner
Oakwood (AL) OAKWOOD
1-27
11
Final
2
Talladega (AL) TALLADEG
11-26
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 R H E
Oakwood (AL) OAKWOOD 1 0 4 4 0 2 11 15 1
Talladega (AL) TALLADEG 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 3 4

W: Newby, Emma (14-10) L: Navaeh Craig (0-15)

OU SB HBCUAC CHAMPIONSHIP 2026

Game Recap: Softball |

AMBASSADORS KEEP THEIR HBCUAC CHAMPIONSHIP HOPES ALIVE SUNDAY WITH TWO BIG WINS

NORTHPORT, Ala. – A day after suffering a 17-0 shellacking by Stillman College in the opening round of the 2026 HBCU Athletic Conference Softball Championship at River Run Park, Oakwood University responded in a big way Sunday.
 
The Ambassadors won a pair of elimination games, blanking Huston-Tillotson 2-0 behind a dominant pitching performance from Emma Newby, and then got their offense untracked in an 11-2 trouncing of Talladega College to keep their HBCUAC Championship hopes alive.
 
The wins send Oakwood (14-15), the No.7 seed, into yet another elimination game Monday against No. 8 seed Wiley University at 12 p.m.
 
In Sunday's opener, Sara Tate went 2-for-3 and scored a run, while Newby and Mary McCluskey combined for two hits and a pair of RBI apiece.
 
The Ambassadors scored a pair of runs in the fourth inning to break open a scoreless game and Newby made it stand up with her work in the circle.
 
Tate singled with two outs, stole second and scored on Newby's RBI single to give Oakwood a 1-0 lead. McCluskey doubled to score Newby to make it 2-0 and Newby blanked the Rams the rest of the way.
 
A true freshman, Newby (13-10) got the win, allowing no runs on two hits in seven innings. She walked four and struck out six.
 
In Sunday's second game, Oakwood erupted for 11 runs on 15 hits to notch its second straight win.
 
Anna Jones Kaley Fuller and Rihanna King all went 3-for-4 to led the Ambassadors' offense.
 
Jones scored two runs and had four RBI, while Fuller scored three runs. King had an RBI.
 
Tate went 2-for-3 and scored three runs, while Jordan Howard was 2-for-4 and scored two runs.
 
Newby was 1-for-3 with an RBI and scored a run, while McCluskey was 1-for-3 with a three-run triple.
 
Newby (14-10) got the win, allowing two runs, one earned, on three hits in six innings. She walked four and struck out seven.
 
Saturday's Game
Tate had Oakwood's lone hit on the night in the loss to Stillman College. The Ambassadors had only four baserunners the entire game.

Newby (12-10) took the loss, allowing 17 runs, 11 earned, on 11 hits in four innings. She walked nine and struck out four.
 
Follow the Ambassadors
Visit the official home of Oakwood University athletics at Oakwood University - Official Athletics Website.
 
 
 
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Scoring Summary

Score By Innings
Play OAKWOOD TALLADEG
OAKWOOD TOP 1st Anna Jones singled to left field, RBI (1-0 B); Kaley Fuller scored. 1 0
TALLADEG BOT 1st Ciara Bowe singled to left field, RBI (1-2 BFF); Josie Harshberger scored. 1 1
TALLADEG BOT 2nd Aidan Johnson reached first on a dropped fly by 2b, advanced to second on the error (3-2 FSBBB); Sophie Harshberger scored, unearned. 1 2
OAKWOOD TOP 3rd Anna Jones reached first on a throwing error by 3b, advanced to second on the error, RBI (1-1 BK); Jordan Howard scored on the error; Kaley Fuller scored. 3 2
OAKWOOD TOP 3rd Emma Newby grounded out to p, RBI (0-0); Sara Tate advanced to second; Anna Jones scored, unearned. 4 2
OAKWOOD TOP 3rd Rihanna King singled down the lf line, RBI (0-0); MaryFaith McCluskey advanced to second; Sara Tate scored. 5 2
OAKWOOD TOP 4th Anna Jones singled to right field, 2 RBI (0-0); Jordan Howard scored; Kaley Fuller scored. 7 2
OAKWOOD TOP 4th Emma Newby singled to right field, advanced to second on the error (1-0 B); Sara Tate advanced to second, advanced to third on a throwing error by 2b; Anna Jones advanced to third, scored on a fielding error by ss, unearned. 8 2
OAKWOOD TOP 4th MaryFaith McCluskey flied out to 2b, SAC, RBI (0-0); Emma Newby advanced to third on a throwing error by 2b; Sara Tate scored, unearned. 9 2
OAKWOOD TOP 6th MaryFaith McCluskey tripled to left field, 2 RBI (0-0); Emma Newby scored; Sara Tate scored. 11 2

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