Spartans Finish Sweep of Morgan State with 8-1 Win
NORFOLK, Va. – Freshman Kayla McNair hit a three-run home run and two Spartan pitchers scattered nine hits as the Norfolk State softball team completed a three-game sweep of Morgan State with an 8-1 win on Sunday afternoon at the NSU Softball Field.
Senior Jamie Schulle struck out six in five innings of work, giving up just one unearned run before giving way to reliever Stephanie Wheatley. The victory improved NSU’s first-place record in the MEAC Northern Division to 11-1 and its overall record to 17-16.
McNair drove in three runs and senior Morgan Boyd drove in two against Morgan State starter Jordan Eades (1-11). She allowed nine hits and eight runs, just three earned, but also struck out eight Spartan batters. The Bears fell to 3-17 overall and 0-8 in conference play.
MSU struck first with an unearned run in the top of the first inning for the early lead. The Spartans answered with three runs in the second to take the lead back.
Sophomore Whitney Williams hit a soft single to center field, and two outs later went to third on a base hit by junior Alina Moriarty. With the outfield playing in and shifted to left, Boyd still put one over the left fielder’s head for a two-run double. She then scored when sophomore Heather Dunning hit a bunt single down the first base line and MSU let the ball scoot away on the throw to first.
NSU had a great defensive sequence to preserve the lead in the fourth. With a runner on first and one out, Kate Vosper doubled into the left field corner, but freshman Devon Bitler fired a bullet to home on the relay throw to get the lead runner. Vosper went to third on the throw but got picked off during the next at bat when she strayed too far from the bag.
Schulle (12-7) worked out of another jam in the fifth, getting one of MSU’s best hitters, Zina Constancia, looking on a backdoor curve for strike three with the bases loaded.
Junior Liz Riley hit an RBI single into left field in the fifth for a 4-1 lead, and NSU plated four more runs in the sixth. Dunning reached on an error with two outs and senior Nikki Jones walked before McNair deposited a 1-0 pitch over the left-center field fence for her team-leading seventh homer of the game.
Bitler followed with a double to the left-center field gap and scored on a sharp single to center off the bat of Williams.
Wheatley earned her first save of the year after pitching two scoreless innings.
First place will be on the line when NSU plays a key MEAC series at Delaware State beginning next Friday with a doubleheader at 1 p.m.
For complete story, visit www.nsuspartans.com or www.morganstatebears.com
Lady Eagles drop game three of series to South Carolina State
ORANGEBURG, S.C. – The North Carolina Central University softball team dropped game three of the weekend series as the Lady Eagles (6-30, 2-7 MEAC) fell to the South Carolina State Lady Bulldogs (10-21, 3-6 MEAC) 5-1 on Sunday, April 13 in Orangeburg, S.C.
After a scoreless first inning, SCSU put the first run on the board of the contest after Unique Whitehurt’s triple turned into a Lady Bulldog run.
SCSU added three more runs to its lead in the bottom of the third as they led the Lady Eagles 4-1 heading into the fourth inning.
During the top of the fifth inning senior Camille Hampton led off with a double to left center followed junior Tiphani Jackson’s walk. With runners on first and second rookie Brianna Hampton hit back to the pitcher who threw her sister out at third.
After Markell Wylie’s fielder’s choice senior London Germ doubled to center field, advancing Wylie and scoring Jackson putting NCCU on the board as they trailed 4-1.
SCSU matched the Lady Eagles run during the bottom of the fifth as they held off NCCU for the final two innings, collecting the 5-1 victory.
Sophomore London Booker and rookie Dominque Wilson split time in the circle during the loss.
Booker threw 2.2 innings, gave up four hits, one earned run, two walks and retired one batter at the plate while facing 14 batters.
Wilson spent 3.1 innings on the mound allowing six hits, four runs (three earned), gave up no walks and struck out three.
The Lady Eagles return to the diamond on Wednesday, April 16 when they host the Western Carolina Catamounts in doubleheader action beginning at 2 p.m. in Durham at the Parkwood Athletic Field.
For complete story, visit www.nccueaglepride.com or www.scsuathletics.com
Lady Pirates take series finale over Howard
HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University softball team won its series finale against Howard on Sunday at the Lady Pirates Softball Stadium, emerging from a late tie for the 7-4 victory.
The Lady Pirates improved to 15-17 overall and 6-3 in conference play.
Hampton got on the board in the bottom of the first inning when freshman Kayla DeSchepper walked with the bases loaded to bring in junior Margaret Wilkins to give the Lady Pirates a 1-0 lead.
Howard (2-28, 1-11 MEAC) answered in the top of the fourth with an RBI single from Ashley Turner to tie the game at 1-1.
Hampton took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning after DeSchepper singled up the middle; sophomore Taylor McCoy, who had been on first base after a single of her own, advanced to third on the play before scoring on an error.
Howard threatened to score in the top of the sixth, with runners on first and second and two outs. Imani Ballard singled to right field, and redshirt-sophomore Raenelle Taylor threw Briana Banks out at the plate to end the inning.
The Lady Pirates then broke the game open in the bottom of the frame, starting when Wilkins reached on an error and sophomore Courtney Melton scored to put Hampton up 3-1. Freshman Danielle Budden followed that with a single up the middle that brought in a pair of runs.
Wilkins then scored on a wild pitch to put the Lady Pirates up 5-1, before DeSchepper singled to right field to bring in McCoy and Budden to put Hampton up 7-1.
Howard loaded the bases in the top of the seventh inning, scoring a run on a groundout, before another run came across on an error and Banks singled home a run to cut the lead to 7-4. But the final out of the game came on a play at the plate, giving Hampton the series win.
Budden, McCoy, DeSChepper, and Taylor each had two hits for the Lady Pirates, while DeSchepper drove in a team-high three runs. Wilkins and McCoy each scored twice.
Junior Jailynn Jackson picked up her 11th win of the season, throwing the full seven innings.
The Lady Pirates will return to the Lady Pirates Softball Stadium on Wednesday at 2 p.m. for a doubleheader against George Washington.
For complete story, visit www.hamptonpirates.com or www.hubison.com