DSU Clinches Second Straight MEAC North Title
DOVER, Del. – In its final game of the regular season, the Delaware State softball team (20-21, 14-4 MEAC) not only defeated the visiting UMES Hawks (7-32, 4-14 MEAC) Sunday afternoon, 3-1, to extend its program-best winning streak to 13, but the victory clinched the Hornets’ second straight MEAC North division title.
Sunday’s triumph also resulted in DSU winning 16 out of the last 17 meetings against the Hawks, who ended the season on an eight-game slide.
Things got off to somewhat of a slow start for Delaware State with UMES tallying two infield singles in the opening inning, in addition scoring its lone run off a double steal situation. However, starter Tara Tursellino (14-14) dominated the rest of the afternoon, allowing no hits, a walk and fanning eight Hawk batters to move to .500 on the season.
Offensively, DSU got going in the third with designated player Daisjah Williams (walk), outfielder Nicole Gazzola (single) and infielder Chloe Oro (single) loading the bases to lead off the inning. As a result, the Hornets scored two runs by way of a Sandy Hawthorne fielder’s choice RBI and freshman Vanessa Washington lining out to left to bring in Gazzola. In the fifth, after Gazzola led off the frame with her first triple of the year, Hawthorne drove her in two batters later with a sac-fly to left.
With Sunday’s performance, Gazzola extended her season-high hit streak to 17, the longest of any Hornet this season. As for Oro, she went 2-for-3 with a double, while infielder Jordan Stamps turned in a 2-for-3 performance as well.
Looking ahead, the Columbia Blue & Red will head to Ormond Beach, Fla. later this week for the MEAC Tournament (May 7 – 9).
For complete story, visit www.dsuhornets.com or www.umeshawks.com
Norfolk State defeats Hampton to win series
HAMPTON, Va. – Senior Alina Moriarty hit a go-ahead, sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh, and the Norfolk State softball team won the weekend series over Hampton thanks to a 2-1 win on Sunday afternoon at the Lady Pirates Softball Stadium.
Moriarty’s sac fly to center broke a 1-1 tie, and Hampton stranded the leadoff batter on first in the bottom of the seventh. The two teams split Saturday’s doubleheader, giving the Spartans the series win as well as the No. 2 seed from the North in this week’s MEAC tournament.
As the second seed from the North, NSU will play the No. 3 seed from the South at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday in the opening round of the MEAC tournament at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex in Ormond Beach, Fla.
Sunday’s rubber match between the local rivals saw freshman pitcher Megan Przeslawski shut down Hampton’s offense a day after the Pirates scored eight runs in game 2’s win on Saturday. Przeslawski (2-0) allowed just a third-inning home run and two hits altogether while striking out seven in her best pitching performance of the year.
NSU improved to 13-5 in the MEAC and 14-25 overall, while Hampton dropped to 19-24 overall and 11-6 in the conference. The Pirates will enter the tournament as the No. 3 seed from the North, with Delaware State at No. 1.
Heather Dunning and senior Robyn Mitchell each had two of NSU’s eight hits on the day. Jailynn Jackson (5-11) suffered the loss after allowing all eight hits and two runs, one earned, while striking out four in seven innings of work.
For complete story, visit www.nsuspartans.com or www.hamptonpirates.com
Coppin State concludes season with win over rival Morgan State
BALTIMORE – Coppin State sophomore Taylor Haller experienced some temporary pain before putting a permanent hurt on Morgan State in a heated Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) regular season softball finale at the Coppin Softball Field Sunday afternoon.
After being cleated in her leg and having half of her nail ripped off from her freshly painted, designed and manicured left thumb that required a five-minute delay to get a piece of blue tape applied to it, Haller delivered the biggest hit of the game -- a two-run two-out single to rightfield in the bottom of the fourth inning that gave Coppin State the space it needed for a 6-4 victory.
Danielle Smith was intentionally walked ahead of Haller, who was in the No. 2 hole of the batting order.
Haller, who had a hit in each game of this weekend series, made sure to send her seniors out in style. Candice Van Horn tossed a complete-game for her second victory of the weekend. Samantha Denlinger smashed a two-run, two-out double in the bottom of the third inning that gave Coppin State the lead for good, 3-1.
In her final career at-bat, Van Horn knocked in a run for the third straight game.
For complete story, visit www.coppinstatesports.com or www.morganstatebears.com
N.C. Central splits doubleheader with North Carolina A&T State
DURHAM, N.C. – The North Carolina Central University softball team did not let the disappointment of missing the 2015 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Championship with an 8-6 game one loss on Sunday dictate the result of the second game against North Carolina A&T University as the Lady Eagles dominated play in a 7-0 triumph to put an exclamation point on a breakout season Sunday afternoon at Parkwood Athletic Field.
After the NCCU’s underclassmen and coaching staff honored seniors Emerie Germ and Tiphani Jackson between games, the Lady Eagles blasted three home runs and rode a complete-game shutout performance by junior starter London Booker.
The victory in the rubber game gave NCCU its first MEAC series victory over its in-state rivals from Greensboro. The Lady Eagles wrapped up the season at 18-27 overall and 4-10 in the league. NCCU, under the direction of fourth year head coach Theresa Stephens, doubled its win total from last year. The 18 victories also set a new single-season program record for the still young NCAA Division I era.
NCCU needed to sweep the Aggies to advance to the MEAC Softball Championship for the first time but North Carolina A&T rallied for the 8-6 win to take the final Southern Division bid. NCAT finished the regular season at 14-29 overall and 6-9 in conference play and will be the South’s fourth seed in next week’s tourney.
Brianna Hampton drove in four runs while Markell Wylie finished with three hits including a triple down the right field line in the first.
The Lady Eagles flew out to 6-nil cushion in the nightcap scoring four runs in the first and two more in the second on a trio of homers. Sophomore Dominique Wilson tagged a three-run missile in the opening frame and then smacked a two-run shot the following inning. Germ followed Wilson’s first homer with her own solo shot to the centerfield porch. Wilson’s two bombs were her seventh and eighth of the season. Germ finished one behind her with seven homers.
Booker took a perfect game into the fifth inning retiring the first 13 Aggies she faced. NCAAT senior Zabresha Blakeney broke up the no-hit bid with a clean one-out single through the right side of the infield in the fifth. The Aggies were able to notch five singles in the final three innings but Booker escaped each of the late threats without giving up a run. Booker’s (10-15) second shutout made her NCCU’s first 10-game winner in the program’s DI era.
For complete story, visit www.nccueaglepride.com or www.ncataggies.com