Ward Ties NCAA Record in Twinbill Shutout of Howard
NORFOLK, Va. – Sophomore Haley Ward tied the NCAA record for consecutive hits and the Norfolk State softball team shut down Howard in a MEAC doubleheader sweep, 10-0, 14-0, Friday afternoon at the NSU Softball Field.
Ward went 2-for-2 in the first game and then tripled in her first at bat of the second game to tie the NCAA Division I record of 13 straight hits set by Boston University’s April Setterland in 2010. Ward grounded out later in that first inning to fall short of owning the record all by herself.
NSU pounded out 22 hits on the day to improve to 5-0 in the MEAC and 12-15 overall. Howard dropped to 3-18 overall, 1-4 in the conference.
Ward belted a grand slam in the bottom of the fourth of the first game to help the Spartans win by the eight-run rule. She then went 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI in the second game as NSU again won in five innings. Ward raised her average to .537 on the season.
Sophomore Liz Riley and junior Jamie Schulle each pitched five-inning shutouts for the Spartans. Riley (4-6) gave up just three hits and struck out four in the first game, and Schulle (8-8) struck out seven while allowing just two hits in Game 2.
The Spartans put their first runs on the board in the bottom of the second in Game 1. Senior Marjorie Pettitt and junior Kathy Cortez reached base to start the inning, and after moving into scoring position both players came home on a single by freshman Whitney Williams.
Three more then came home in the third. Sophomore Alina Moriarty and senior Gipsy Ramirez singled before a walk to sophomore Robyn Mitchell loaded the bases. One run came home on a wild pitch, and junior Melina Valles hit an RBI groundout to score the second run. After Ward reached on an infield single, Mitchell scored when the ball got away from the Bison on Ward’s stolen base attempt.
The final five runs crossed the plate in the fourth. Freshman Heather Dunning and Ramirez singled around a walk to Moriarty to load the bases. After Howard pitcher Emily Krantz issued a bases-loaded walk to Valles, Ward followed with a deep shot over the right-center field wall to cap the game’s scoring.
Ramirez went 2-for-3 with a pair of runs, while Valles and Williams each drove in two runs.
NSU chased Krantz in the first inning of the second game thanks to a six-spot. Boyd reached base to start the frame with a bunt single and Ward tripled to the right field wall to tie the NCAA record. Moriarty’s sacrifice fly cleared the bases as Ward came home, but Krantz issued three straight walks to immediately load the bases.
The Bison reshuffled their entire infield to bring Ashley Turner into the circle, and Cortez followed with an RBI single to left for the third run of the inning. Valles came home on an infield error on Howard, and two batters later pinch hitter Nikki Jones poked one into left center to score Williams and Cortez.
Mitchell hit an RBI double in the second as NSU plated three more. Valles singled and moved to second on a groundout and both players touched home plate when Williams hit a screaming liner to the wall in right center.
Moriarty lined an RBI single in the third to score Ward, who had doubled with one out. Then in the fourth, the Spartans added the last four runs of the day thanks to their bench.
Pinch hitters Malinka Walters and Chelsea Davis singled to put a pair on base. Clara Quiñones singled home Walters and Davis also came home when the ball got away from Howard center fielder Briana Banks. Shekinah Stewart, NSU’s fourth straight pinch hitter, plated Quiñones with another hit to center. Moriarty’s RBI single to right brought home the last run.
Moriarty went 2-for-2 with three RBI, while Williams and Jones each drove in a pair. NSU had 14 hits in Game 2 with 12 different players each getting at least one.
For the complete story, visit www.nsuspartans.com or www.howard-bison.com
Coppin State Snaps Losing Streak With Wins Over UMES
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. -- Danielle Smith had five hits, including a home run, and drove in four runs and Coppin State halted a 14-game losing streak with a MEAC doubleheader sweep of Maryland Eastern Shore on Friday at Hawk Field.
Smith had three hits, scored two runs and drove in a run in the Eagles 7-2 victory in game one, and then had two hits and drove in three runs as CSU completed the sweep with a 5-1 victory in the nightcap.
Coppin State (7-15, 2-3 MEAC) pounded out 13 hits in the game one victory, which stands as the second most hits the Eagles have posted in a game this season. Smith and Nicole Boggs each had three hits to lead the way, while Kimberlynn Brown had two hits and drove in three runs and Gabriel Ziller added two RBI.
Alyssa Barker picked up the victory in game one as she allowed just four hits and one earned run, while striking out three to earn her second victory of the season.
Coppin State had only three hits in game two, but used timely hitting and three UMES errors to complete the sweep.
Leading 2-1 in the top of the fifth inning, Smith blasted a two-out, three-run homer to give the Eagles a 5-1 lead.
Samantha Denlinger earned the victory for Coppin State as she allowed just one run in four innings and Melli Richardson picked up her first save of the season as she allowed a single hit in three innings of relief.
Maryland Eastern Shore dropped to 10-18 overall and 2-3 in conference play with the two losses.
For the complete story, visit www.umeshawks.com or www.coppinstatesports.com
Savannah State Rallies For MEAC Win Against Florida A&M
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Trailing by two runs after five innings, Savannah State rallied in the top of the sixth to beat Florida A&M, 4-2, in the opening MEAC game of the 2013 campaign.
The Lady Tigers improve to 17-12 overall and 1-0 in the conference. Florida A&M falls to 8-27 and 0-1 in the MEAC. Savannah State continues the three-game series on Saturday with a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
The Lady Rattlers opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning behind a two RBI single from Arianna Stewart that scored Kieifi Myrick who walked, and Robbielyn Roberson who was hit with a pitch.
The scoring fell silent through the middle innings as the Lady Tigers worked themselves out of several jams; altogether, stranding five FAMU runners in scoring position.
In the top of the sixth trailing 0-2, Savannah State avoided the shutout with four big hits. SSU had three hits in the first five innings, but failed to plate any of the runners.
Megan Uhrman reached on a single. SSU freshman Torrian Wright singled to score Destiny Webster who was pinch running for Uhrman. Running for Wright, Aaliya Jones scored on a FAMU error, that saw Madison Hedderly reach, tying the game at two runs apiece.
Later in the inning, Tiffany Taylor singled through the left side to score Hedderly. Imani Gayle hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring India Morgan who reached on a single to give the Lady Tigers a 4-2 advantage.
FAMU put runners on in the bottom of the sixth and seventh, but the Lady Tiger defense stepped up to end the threat. Leading the defense, Hedderly garnered her 14th pitching win of the season.
Hedderly pitched a complete seven, allowing two earned runs on seven hits with three strikeouts and two walks. Jennifer Lindsey was tagged with the pitching loss after seven innings of work. She allowed four runs (one earned) on seven hits with two strikeouts.
The Lady Tigers were led at the plate by Morgan who went 2-for-3. Uhrman, Amber Hallman, Wright, Taylor and Antonette Smith all had one hit a piece.
For the complete story, visit www.ssuathletics.com or www.famuathletics.com
Hampton Beats Delaware State In MEAC Home Opener
HAMPTON, Va. –Hampton opened its home conference slate on Friday with a 6-2 win over Delaware State at the Lady Pirates Softball Stadium in the start of a three-game series.
The Lady Pirates (17-18, 4-0 MEAC) have won six straight games.
Hampton opened up with three runs in the bottom of the first inning, starting with a two-run double from freshman Taylor McCoy, the reigning MEAC Rookie of the Week, to score freshman Diamond Ponds and junior Margaret Wilkins.
McCoy currently has a 12-game hitting streak.
Ferguson drove in McCoy later in the inning on a fielder’s choice to give the Lady Pirates a 3-0 lead.
McCoy singled up the middle in the bottom of the second to drive in Ponds and give Hampton a 4-0 lead, before two more runs scored in the third when freshman McKalee Rouse (Aledo, Texas) tripled to right field to put the Lady Pirates up 6-0.
Delaware State (4-19, 0-1 MEAC) was held without a hit in the first three innings, before the Lady Hornets broke through in the top of the fourth inning with a pair of runs – cutting Hampton’s lead to 6-2 after a two-run single from Rochelle Sablay.
Taylor went 3-for-4 at the plate to lead the Lady Pirates, driving in two runs, while Rouse also drove in two runs. Ponds also stole two bases, and she is 13-for-16 in stolen bases on the season.
Sophomore Jailynn Jackson matched her win total form last season, going the distance in picking up her 13th win of the season on the mound. She struck out five batters and scattered seven hits – including three perfect innings to open the game.
For the complete story, visit www.dsuhornets.com or www.hamptonpirates.com