WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Hampton University softball team blew out Howard in both games of a doubleheader on Sunday at Baneker Park, winning the first game 10-1 in five innings before taking the second game 18-1 in five.

The Lady Pirates are now 20-21 on the season and 7-1 in MEAC play.

Hampton got the scoring started in the top of the second inning in the first game, pushing across three runs. Sophomore Kerissa Burruel (Phoenix, Ariz.) started it off with her second home run of the season to left field, before freshman Diamond Ponds (Riverside, Calif.) brought in another run with a double to right.

She then scored on a throwing error to put Hampton up 3-0.

Junior Margaret Wilkins (Tustin, Calif.) hit her sixth home run of the season to left field in the top of the third, giving the Lady Pirates a 4-0 lead before Burruel added another run later in the inning with an RBI single.

Howard scored in the bottom of the third, cutting the lead to 5-1, but the Lady Pirates pushes across five runs in the top of the fourth to take a 10-1 lead. Freshman McKalee Rouse (Aledo, Texas) brought in two runs with a single up the middle, before Burruel had another RBI single.

Senior Nina Ferguson (Plymouth, Minn.) brought in the last two runs of the game later that inning with a double to center field.

Burruel went 3-for-3 at the plate in the first game, driving in three runs. Ponds added two hits in four at-bats, while Rouse and Ferguson each drove in two runs.

Senior Jailynn Jackson (Virginia Beach, Va.) held Howard to just one hit in picking up her 14th win of the season. She struck out six batters in five innings of work.

Hampton got off to a quick start in the first inning of the second game, pushing across six runs in the opening frame. Burruel started the scoring with a single that brought in two runs, before scoring herself on a passed ball. Ferguson then doubled home two more runs.

Sophomore Bianca Vallejo (Chandler, Ariz.) then hit an RBI double to left to put Hampton up 6-0.

Burruel added an RBI single in the second inning, before Wilkins took home on a double steal. Ferguson then hit an RBI single to right and Vallejo had a two-run single – and the Lady Pirates led 11-0 after an inning and a half.

Aansia Stinson homered in the bottom of the second to cut the lead to 11-1.

Freshman Taylor McCoy (Riverview, Fla.) answered with a home run of her own in the third inning, her fourth of the season, before Vallejo doubled in two more runs to put the Lady Pirates up 14-1.

Wilkins had a sacrifice fly to right field in the top of the fourth, before Burruel later reached on an error and McCoy scored to give Hampton a 16-1 lead. Two more runs scored in the fifth, thanks in large part to two errors from Howard.

Vallejo and McCoy each had three hits in the second game, and Vallejo drove in a team-high five runs. Ferguson added three RBIs.

Jackson scattered six hits over five inning of work in the second game, picking up her 15th win of the season and striking out six – marking the 17th time in her last 23 appearances that she's recorded at least five strikeouts.

The Lady Pirates will close out their three-game set against Howard on Wednesday at 4 p.m. at the Lady Pirates Softball Stadium. Hampton will still be designated at the away team in that contest.

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.