HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University softball team swept its doubleheader over Maryland Eastern Shore at the Lady Pirates Softball Complex on Saturday, winning the first game 5-2 before taking the second game 9-1 in six innings.

The Lady Pirates (19-26, 7-4 MEAC) have won six of their last eight games.

Hampton struck first in the bottom of the first inning in the first game, when senior Sharde' Estep (Aquasco, Md.) drove in junior Nina Ferguson (Plymouth, Minn.) with a single up the middle to put the Lady Pirates up 1-0.

The Lady Pirates then scored three times in the bottom of the third, thanks to a three-run bomb from junior Carla Trimble (Riverside, Calif.) to left field – her third of the season – to take a 4-0 lead.

Estep added a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth to put Hampton up 5-0.

UMES (0-27, 0-12 MEAC) scored twice in the top of the sixth inning to cut the lead to 5-2, but the Lady Hawks could get no closer.

Senior Travonna Byrd (Newport News, Va.) scattered three hits over seven innings of work, picking up her eighth win of the season. She struck out a season-high eight batters, including striking out the side in the top of the third inning.

Estep had two hits in the first game, along with senior Bre'Anna Brown (Los Angeles, Calif.) and sophomore Margaret Wilkins (Tustin, Calif.). Trimble's three RBI led the way, while Estep added two RBI of her own.

The Lady Pirates took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning in the second game, as Ferguson brought in senior Brooke Boykin (Riverside, Calif.) with a sacrifice fly and Estep drove in yet another run with a double to left-center field.

The Lady Hawks cracked the scoreboard in the top of the fourth on an RBI single from Carmen Gurrola.

Wilkins recorded an RBI in the fourth inning when she reached on a fielding error, bringing in Trimble to score. Freshman Bianca Vallejo (Chandler, Ariz.) then reached on an error to bring in another run, before Ferguson recorded an RBI on another error to put Hampton up 5-1.

UMES recorded four errors in that inning.

Hampton pushed across yet another run in the bottom of the fifth, when pinch runner Rachel Baylor scored from third base on a wild pitch. Senior Rebecca Magett (Grand Rapids, Mich.) then sent her first home run of the season over the left-field wall with Wilkins on third to put the Lady Pirates up 8-1.

Ferguson then recorded an RBI single in the sixth inning to put Hampton up 9-1 and invoke the run rule.

Byrd matched her season high with eight strikeouts in the second game, giving up just four hits in recording her ninth win of the season. She is now 9-13 in 2012.

Brown went 2-for-3 at the plate, while Ferguson drove in a team-high three runs. Magett added two RBI, while Wilkins scored twice.

The Lady Pirates will return to action on Sunday, when they take on UMES in the series finale at 12 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.