DSU Struggles At Maryland; Drops Two

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -Maryland's pitchers combined for 20 strikeouts as the Terrapins defeated Delaware State, 13-0 and 3-1, Wednesday as a part of a non-conference doubleheader at Robert E. Taylor Stadium.

The Hornets were blanked in game one, as they were able to get just two hits off of UM senior Kerry Hickey.  Hickey threw 5.0 innings with 12 strikeouts and no walks.  Juniors Jordan Reid and Breanne Parr were the sole DSU players to put the ball in action against Hickey.

The Terrapins also benefited from a seven-run second inning and six-run third inning, including a grand slam home run from junior Bree Hanafin to take the win.

Game two was a different story as the Hornets were able to get six hits and one run on the board.

Junior Chelsea Stern led off the top of the sixth with a bunt single before senior Janelle Lukens slapped an RBI double to right center to bring the score to 3-1 in favor of the Terps. 

The Hornets looked to make a comeback in the top of the seventh as Parr led off the inning by reaching base on a throwing error by second baseman Nikki Maier.  Junior Leslie Pleasanton next singled to left field.  With one out in the frame, junior Tawny Reeger hit into a controversial double play to end DSU's momentum and the game.

Junior Rachel Carroll was the lone Hornet to collect multiple hits on the day as she went 2-for-4 from the plate. Marisha Branson went 4-for-6 on the day with two runs, three RBI and her fifth home run of the year for UM.

Hickey took the win in game one to move to 15-7 on the season while DSU junior Casey Beighley took the loss and moved to 7-6.  In game two, freshman Ashley Czechner recorded her 12th win of the year while Hornet freshman Ashlyn Campbell took her third loss of the season. 

DSU falls to 25-15 overall while Maryland improves to 34-14. 

For the complete story, visit www.dsuhornets.com

Gatson, Johnson Homers Not Enough To Beat Towson

TOWSON, MD. - The Howard softball team fell to the Towson Tigers in the opening game of the recently scheduled doubleheader, 5-2 on Wednesday afternoon. The Bison were unable to bounce back from the loss as the second game went unfinished as a result of weather and darkness.

Emily Johnson got points on the board first for the Lady Bison with a leadoff home run to left center. Several HU errors, however, gave the Tigers a chance to answer back with two runs in the bottom of the first and two more in the bottom of the fourth.

Samantha Gatson got Howard back on board and delivered a solo-homer to kick off the fifth inning, making it a 4-2 game. Towson went on to shutout the Lady Bison for the remainder of the game and tallied their final run in the sixth on a two-out RBI double by Rachel Miller.

Both Gatson and Johnson split the mound, but the loss went to Gatson who pitched four innings and gave up four unearned runs, four hits and two walks. She struck out one batter while Johnson took down three in her two innings in the circle. Johnson gave up one earned run on two hits. Katie Lingmai pitched the entire game for the Tigers and recorded nine strikeouts while eight Bison players garnered a hit.

The Bison topped the Tigers in hits, 8-6.

For the complete story, visit www.howard-bison.com

Offense, Schulle Lead NSU Over UMES, 19-1, 3-1

PRINCESS ANNE, Md. -Norfolk State used a 10-run third inning to down UMES, 19-1, in five innings before earning a 3-1, eight-inning victory in Game 2 Wednesday afternoon in a non-conference doubleheader at Lady Hawks Field.

Six players had at least two hits in the first game for the Spartans, while junior Casey Pomeroy limited the Hawks to just one earned run as she picked up the victory. In Game 2, freshman pitcher Jamie Schulle held UMES in check for all eight innings, and NSU pushed across a pair of runs in the top of the eighth for the season sweep.

Pomeroy (7-8) gave up three hits and struck out three in five innings for the Game 1 victory. Schulle (4-9) allowed just five hits and one unearned run with seven strikeouts in all eight innings in Game 2. NSU improved its record to 14-23 overall on the season, while UMES fell to 6-34. NSU won all five meeting against the Hawks this year.

Junior Whitney Holland led the NSU offensive onslaught early on, going 3-for-5 with three runs and four RBI in the first game, while freshman Morgan Boyd went 4-for-5 with two runs and three RBI. Senior Jeanette Sauceda, junior Danielle Wright and freshman Nikki Jones each added three hits and three runs scored, while junior Candice Vasquez added three RBI. NSU had 22 hits in five innings of play.

Carmen Gurrola (3-17) pitched well for the Hawks in Game 2, giving up seven hits and three runs to keep UMES in the game. Luckily for the Spartans, Schulle matched Gurrola's performance with her best outing of the year, and Wright's one-out double in the top of the eighth scored the winning run for NSU. Freshman Melina Valles went 3-for-4 in Game 2, while Wright scored a pair of runs.

For the complete story, visit www.nsuspartans.com or www.umeshawks.com

Lady Aggies Drop Two to UNC-Greensboro

GREENSBORO - Defensive mishaps became an issue for the North Carolina A&T softball team as the Aggies lost a doubleheader to UNC Greensboro 11-3 and 11-3 at the Lady Aggies Softball Complex.

An eight-run second inning that included two errors hurt the Aggies in the first game. In the second game, the errors caught up to the Aggies late. N.C. A&T was able to jump out to a 3-2 lead in the second. Detavia Kenan opened the inning with a double to left field.

After Sabrina Edmonds was hit by a pitch, Dominique Gillard singled up the middle to score Kenan. Tiffany Macklin followed with another single to score Edmonds to tie the game at 2. When Gillard scored on a throw down to first base after Dominique Smith struck out, the Aggies grabbed the lead.

The Spartans tied the game in the third, and scored five runs in the fifth inning to increase their lead. In the sixth, UNCG scored three more runs off of three Aggie errors.  Macklin and Kenan had two hits apiece for the Aggies in the second game. Ryanne Hill led the Aggies in the first game with two hits and two RBIs. Juanita Jernigan hit her team-leading seventh home run of the season.

For the complete story, visit www.ncataggies.com

Jacksonville Goes Long To End B-CU's Seven-Game Winning Streak

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. --A three-run blast put Jacksonville ahead and then a seventh-inning grand slam put the final touches on an 11-3 setback that ended Bethune-Cookman's seven-game winning streak Wednesday at Sunnyland Park.

The Wildcats (22-23) had a 2-1 lead after the first and appeared to be on the verge on answering the homer of JU's Olivia Kline in the bottom of the third before Dolphin pitccher Sarah Sigrest threw four innings of shutout relief.

Amanda Schmidt, who gave JU (36-14) a 6-3 lead with two RBI in the fourth, launched a base-clearer in the final inning to put the game out of reach.

B-CU manufactured its first two run. Ashton Hinds led off the first with a walk, stole second and advanced to third on Aurelia Gamch's bunt. Allison Garcia singled home Hinds, and Gamch capitalized on a throwing error and slid home before the tag as B-CU enjoyed a 2-1 lead.

Garcia led off the third with a single, then pinch runner Amari Foster scored on Kelsey Rodney's single to cut JU's lead to 4-3 in the bottom of the third.

Garcia and Simone each had two hits for the Wildcats.

For the complete story, visit www.bcuathletics.com