Box Scores: Game 1 | Game 2

LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Hampton University softball team lost both games of a doubleheader against Liberty University on Tuesday at the Liberty Softball Field, falling 7-2 in the first game before dropping the second game 16-3 in five innings.

The Lady Pirates (12-28) struck first in the top of the first inning of the first game, going up 2-0 on a two-run home run to left field by junior Sharde' Estep (Aquasco, Md.) – her first long ball of the season. But Liberty scored twice in the bottom of the inning to tie the game at 2-2 on a Keely McMillon RBI double and a Meredith Crisante RBI single.

Liberty added a run in the third inning, when Kelly Strickland scored on a wild pitch, before adding two more runs in the fifth on a Kaylee west two-run single to right field to give Liberty a 5-2 lead.

The Flames scored twice more in the sixth on a two-run single from Ashley Bensinger.

Tiffani Smith held the Lady Pirates to three hits in the first game, striking out five and walking just one in seven innings of work.

Estep, sophomore Nina Ferguson (Plymouth, Minn.) and sophomore Tamara Vickers (Lawndale, Calif.) each had a hit for the Lady Pirates.

Hampton scored all three of its runs in the second game in the top of the first inning. Estep got things started with an RBI single up the middle, before Ferguson drove in another run with an RBI groundout. Junior Travonna Byrd (Newport News, Va.) singled home another run to close out the inning.

Liberty (20-18) got on the board in the bottom of the inning, when Bensinger scored on a fielding error to cut Hampton's lead to 3-1. The Flames then scored six runs in the second inning – behind the strength of a solo home run from Amber DePasquale, a three-run home run from Strickland and a solo shot by Bensinger – before scoring six more times in the third.

Sammi Shivok hit a two-run homer in the third inning to start the scoring, before Crisante added a grand slam to center field later in the inning.

Strickland added a three-run shot in the fifth. In all, Liberty hit six home runs in the second game.

Estep went 2-for-2 at the plate in the second game, driving in a run and drawing a walk. Senior Bre'Anna Brown (Los Angeles, Calif.) went 2-for-3 at the plate, scoring a run.

The Lady Pirates will return to action on Thursday, April 28, when they hold their home finale at the Lady Pirates Softball Complex with a doubleheader against Norfolk State starting at 2 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.