Box Scores: Game 1 | Game 2

HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University softball team lost both games of its doubleheader to Liberty University on Wednesday, falling 8-4 in the first game before losing the second game 8-3 at Lady Pirates Field.

The Lady Pirates (18-33) struck first in the first game, scoring three runs in the bottom of the second inning. Travonna Byrd (Newport News, Va.), after leading off the inning with a single, scored Hampton's first run on an error, before Adrianna Scott (Laurel, Md.) drove in a pair with a single to right field.

Liberty tied the game at 3-3 in the top of the fourth inning, starting with Kelly Strickland scoring on an error. Danielle Howard then drove in a run with a bases-loaded walk and Jenny Law brought in another run with a sacrifice fly.

Four more runs in the top of the fifth inning gave the Flames (32-11) the lead for good; Strickland singled home a run before Bridgett Woods doubled home another and Meredith Baisden hit a two-run home run to left field.

Strickland singled home another run in the sixth inning.

Jada Jeffries (Lithonia, Ga.) singled home a run in the bottom of the seventh to give the Lady Pirates their fourth run of the game. The Lady Pirates had nine hits in the first game, with Kelsei Saunders (Suffolk, Va.) recording two of them and walking twice.

Strickland and Baisden each drove in two runs for Liberty.

Liberty opened the second game with a two-run first inning, when Strickland hit a two-run home run to left field. The Lady Pirates answered with a two-run home run of their own in the bottom of the first, as Rebecca Magett (Grand Rapids, Mich.) hit her sixth homer of the season.

The Flames took a 5-2 lead in the top of the second, when Law singled home a run and Hendrix walked with the bases loaded before Strickland was hit by a pitch to drive in another run.

Nina Ferguson (Plymouth, Minn.) singled home a run in the bottom of the fourth inning to pull the Lady Pirates within two, before the Flames scored in the top of the fifth on an RBI single from Keely McMillon.

Liberty scored twice more in the sixth, with a leadoff home run from Danielle Howard and J'nae Jefferson scoring on a wild pitch.

Jefferson went 2-for-3 at the plate for the Flames, while Katrina Johnson struck out eight in seven innings for her sixth win of the season.

Saunders and Byrd each went 2-for-3 at the plate for the Lady Pirates.

The Lady Pirates will return to action on Thursday, April 29 when they take on Norfolk State in a doubleheader at Lady Pirates Field. First pitch will be at 1 p.m. For more information on Hampton University softball, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.