BALTIMORE, Md. – The Hampton University softball team swept its conference-opening doubleheader at Morgan State on Saturday, defeating the Lady Bears 11-0 in five innings in the first game and 13-2 in the second game at Lois T. Murray Field.

The Lady Pirates (15-18, 2-0 MEAC) have won four straight games.

Hampton struck early in the first game, taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning after an RBI groundout from senior Shine Huwe (Green Bay, Wisc.)  before the Lady Pirates broke the game open in the top of the second inning with seven runs.

The offensive outburst started when junior Margaret Wilkins (Tustin, Calif.) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, scoring sophomore Kerissa Burruel (Phoenix, Ariz.). Freshman Diamond Ponds (Riverside, Calif.) then singled home a run to give the Lady Pirates a 3-0 lead.

Freshman Taylor McCoy (Riverview, Fla.) singled in two more runs, before Huwe brought in two more runs with a triple. Freshman Bobbi Langlois (Medina, Ohio) added another RBI single in the second to give the Lady Pirates an 8-0 lead.

Huwe and Burruel each had RBI singles in the fourth inning, before senior Nina Ferguson (Plymouth, Minn.) brought in the last run of the game with an RBI groundout to put Hampton up 11-0.

Taylor went 3-for-3 at the plate in the first game with two RBIs, while Huwe drove in a team-high four runs while going 2-for-3 at the plate. Burruel was also 2-for-3, while Ponds went 2-for-4 as Hampton belted 14 hits.

Sophomore Jailynn Jackson (Virginia Beach, Va.) got her 11th win of the season, striking out five batters in five innings of work. She only gave up two hits and one walk.

Hampton also scored in the first inning of the second game, when Huwe reached on a fielding error and Ponds crossed the plate to put the Lady Pirates up 1-0. Five runs followed in the second inning, thanks to RBI singles from seniors Adrianna Scott (Laurel, Md.) and Carla Trimble (Riverside, Calif.).

McCoy then singled home two runs in the second inning, before Huwe brought her home with an RBI double to give Hampton a 6-0 lead.

After Scott singled in a run in the top of the sixth inning to put Hampton up 7-0, Morgan State scored two runs in the bottom of the inning to cut that lead to 7-2. But the Lady Pirates put up six runs in the top of the seventh to put away the game.

Langlois got the scoring started in the seventh with an RBI double to left-center field, before Ferguson singled in another run. Ponds then singled home a pair of runs, before scoring herself on a wild pitch to give the Lady Pirates a 12-2 lead.

McCoy doubled to left-center field to bring in the final run.

Ponds, Huwe, Ferguson, and Scott each had three hits in the second game, while McCoy drove in a team-high three runs. Ponds, Huwe, and Scott each drove in two runs.

Langlois picked up her second win on the mound, striking out three in six innings of work.

The Lady Pirates will conclude their three-game series at Morgan State on Sunday with a contest starting 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.