BALTIMORE, Md. – The Hampton University football team ended a trying 2012 season on a high note on Saturday, closing out the campaign with a 27-17 win over Morgan State at Hughes Stadium.

The Pirates close the season 3-7 overall and 3-5 in conference play, while the Bears dropped to 3-8 overall and 2-6 in the MEAC.

Senior running back Jeremiah Schwartz (Orlando, Fla.) recorded his seventh 100-yard rushing game of the season, carrying the ball 29 times for 113 yards and two touchdowns. Schwartz, the MEAC's leading rusher, finished the season with 1,043 yards.

He is the first Pirate to rush for 1,000 yards in a season since LaMarcus Coker (1,027 yards) in 2009.

The Pirates struck first with 7:21 left in the first quarter, capping off a 10-play, 41-yard drive when freshman Brian Swain (Laredo, Texas) hit senior Javaris Brown (Macon, Ga.) from 15 yards out to give Hampton a 7-0 lead.

Morgan State answered with 12:49 left in the second quarter, tying the game at 7-7 after a 2-yard touchdown run from Brian Mann.

Schwartz's first touchdown of the day came on the ensuing Pirates drive, when he found the endzone from four yards out to cap a 7-play, 49-yard drive to put the Pirates up 14-7 with 9:35 left in the first half.

Morgan State tied the game at 14-14 with 9:38 left in the third quarter, after Chris Flowers caught a 33-yard touchdown pass from Robert Council, as the Bears needed just two plays to find the endzone.

The Pirates wasted no time in answering, though, taking the next drive 51 yards in 10 plays before Schwartz ran into the endzone for the second time on the afternoon; his 1-yard run with 5:26 left in the third quarter put Hampton up 20-14 after the failed two-point conversion.

Ervin Gonzalez cut the lead to 20-17 with 10 seconds left in the third quarter, nailing a 35-yard field goal.

Each team opened the fourth quarter with a scoreless possession, before the Pirates put the game away with 8:49 to play. Redshirt-freshman Chris Dukes (Mobile, Ala.) scored his first career touchdown from 16 yards out, capping off a 6-play, 41-yard drive to put Hampton up 27-17.

Dukes recorded his first career 100-yard rushing game, carrying the ball 16 times for 112 yards. The Pirates had 231 rushing yards on the afternoon, accounting for all but 42 yards of their offense against the Bears.

Seniors Lyndell Gibson (Virginia Beach, Va.) and Daryell Walker (Hampton, Va.) each led the Pirates with seven tackles on defense. Senior Jeremy Jermin (Brooklyn, N.Y.) had six tackles to go along with a sack and two tackles for loss.

For more information on Hampton University football, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.