Softball | 5/6/2026 2:13:56 PM

Norfolk, Va. —The No. 5 seed Morgan State opened the MEAC softball championship, defeating No. 4 Norfolk State, 6-3, on Wednesday afternoon at NSU’s TowneBank Field.   

Millie Cousins picked up the win in the circle for Morgan, allowing just two runs on five hits while striking out three in 5.2 innings.  Serena Rodriguez went the final 1.1 innings to thwart the Spartans’ rally attempt. 

Olivia Garner went 2-for-2 with two walks and three RBI to lead Morgan State offensively, while three other Bears had multi-hit games.  

Hunter Newman gave Morgan State an early 1-0 lead with an RBI single in the first, and it remained a one-run game until the Bears tacked on two runs in the fourth on a two-run single from Garner.   

After both teams went scoreless in the fifth, Morgan extended its lead to 6-0, headlined by a three-run sixth on an RBI single from Garner.  Later in the inning, Cousins helped her own cause by drawing a walk with the bases loaded before a sacrifice fly by Newman. 

Norfolk State cut the deficit to 6-2 on a home run by Bristyl Riddick.  Rodriguez got the final out of the inning for the Bears and retired the first two Spartans in the seventh before Kailey Bryant struck for an RBI double in the seventh.  Bryant was later thrown out at third for the final out of the game. 

The Morgan State Bears (15-26) advanced to the winner’s bracket and will take on top-seeded Howard at 5:00 pm this evening while the Spartans will play at 11:00 am on Thursday in an elimination game. 

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