WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Hampton University softball team will hit the road this weekend for a three-game set against rival Howard at Benneker Field, with a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 2 p.m. and a game on Sunday at 12 p.m.

The Lady Pirates (18-21, 5-1 MEAC) are coming off a doubleheader loss to George Mason on Tuesday. Prior to that, Hampton took two out of three games against Delaware State on March 29-30 at the Lady Pirates Softball Stadium.

Freshman Taylor McCoy (Riverview, Fla.) leads the Lady Pirates with a .400 batting average, and she has hit safely in 14 of her last 18 games. McCoy leads the team with 10 doubles and 27 RBIs, while also boasting a .609 slugging percentage and a .484 on-base percentage.

Junior Margaret Wilkins (Tustin, Calif.) is batting .353 so far this season, and she leads the team in hits (47, leads the MEAC), runs (31, leads the MEAC), and home runs (five). She's also driven in 23 runs this season, tied for second on the team with freshman Bobbi Langlois (Medina, Ohio).

Wilkins is also slugging .541, while also having a .424 on-base percentage.

Langlois is batting .310 so far this season, while freshman McKalee Rouse (Aledo, Texas) is hitting .308 in 20 games.

Sophomore Jailynn Jackson (Virginia Beach, Va.) is 13-9 on the mound this season, matching her win total from 2012. She also has a 3.14 ERA, and Jackson leads the MEAC in strikeouts with 141 in 145.0 innings pitched.

She has recorded at least five strikeouts in 15 of her last 20 appearances.

Howard (2-23, 1-8 MEAC) has lost 10 straight games, including a three-game sweep at the hands of Coppin State this past weekend. The Lady Bison last won a game on March 23, defeating Maryland Eastern Shore 4-3 for their lone conference win of the season.

The Lady Pirates are 35-14 all-time against Howard, including a three-game sweep last season. Overall, Hampton has won five of the last six meetings against the Lady Bison.

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.