Box Score
Columbia, S.C. – Sophomore Ashley Weissenbach carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning, while freshman Jada Jeffries drove in two runs and also recorded the save in Hampton’s 5-2 victory over South Carolina State at the MEAC Softball Roundup.
In what has been a reoccurring theme as of late, the Lady Pirates (22-8, 7-0 MEAC) jumped out to an early lead in the first inning and never looked back. Brittany Davis doubled down the left field line scoring Tesara Liggins from first after she was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Maggie Wolfe followed with a single of her own to give Hampton runners on first and third with no one out. Wolfe then forced South Carolina State catcher Tifanie Lewis to make an errant throw to second base, allowing Davis to ease home uncontested. Jeffries added the final run of the inning when she grounded out to shortstop scoring Wolfe.
On the mound, Weissenbach used a variety of pitches, locations and speeds to keep the Lady Bulldogs (4-38, 1-10 MEAC) off balance, retiring the first 12 batters she faced. However, in the fifth South Carolina State finally broke through thanks to a lead-off single just over Weissenbach’s head by TaTreka Polite. Krystal Anthony then tripled to right-center field after Liggins lost her balance trying to track the ball down in the outfield and the no-hitter and shutout was lost in just two swings of the bat. Sade Wilson managed to fight off an inside pitch from Weissenbach and muscle it over the mound for a infield single and another Lady Bulldog run that cut the Hampton lead to 4-2 after five.
The Lady Pirates responded in their half of the inning as Wolfe led off with a single that found its way between a diving third baseman and shortstop. Better known for her power as opposed to her bunting ability, catcher Jennifer Gonzales advanced the runner with a perfectly placed sacrifice bunt and Jeffries drove Wolfe in with a double to left-center.
Jeffries then came in and relieved Weissenbach with two runners on and one out in the sixth and promptly retired the next five batters to put a halt to any notions of a South Carolina State rally and record her first career save.
Weissenbach allowed just four hits and two runs to improve to 5-1 on the year and she also helped her own cause with an RBI single in the fourth.
The Lady Pirates will face Bethune-Cookman at 10 a.m. on Sunday and Florida A&M at 2 p.m. to close out the roundup.
