DOVER, Del. – The Hampton University football team used a strong defensive effort and running game to pick up its first conference win of the season on Saturday afternoon, beating Delaware State 23-0 at Alumni Stadium.
 
The Pirates (2-6, 1-3 MEAC) held Delaware State to 237 total yards.
 
Hampton shut out an opponent for the first time since 2009, when the Pirates shut out both Howard (37-0) and Florida A&M (25-0).
 
In addition, senior Jorrian Washington (Los Angeles, Calif.) and freshman Eric Carter Jr. (Fayetteville, N.C.) each had 100-yard rushing games. Washington carried the ball 23 times for 142 yards, his second 100-yard game of the season, while Carter rushed 10 times for 113 yards and a touchdown.
 
Carter averaged 11.3 yards per carry, while Washingtno averaged 6.2 yards per rush.
 
Freshman quarterback Jerrell Antoine (Orlando, Fla.), making his first career start, threw for 143 yards and a touchdown, completing 13 of his 25 passes.
 
Junior linebacker Joshua Thorne (Oxon Hill, Md.) led the Pirates defense with a career-high 19 tackles, three sacks, and an interception. The Pirates had three interceptions on the day – one from junior linebacker Keith McAfee (Charlotte, N.C.) and one from sophomore linebacker JaMari Cord (Tampa, Fla.).
 
McAfee also had eight tackles.
 
Most of the first half was a scoreless affair, but the Pirates got on the board with 1:22 left on the clock in the second quarter, going 98 yards on seven plays before Carter ran in from four yards out. A missed PAT gave Hampton a 6-0 lead at the break.
 
Delaware State had possession to start the second half, but punted the ball away. In fact, the Hornets (2-7, 2-3 MEAC) punted three times in the third quarter.
 
The Pirates found the endzone again with 7:34 left in the quarter, when Jerrell hooked up with redshirt sophomore wide receiver Rashawn Proctor (Hampton, Va.) on a 56-yard strike to give Hampton a 13-0 lead.
 
Jerrell added a 3-yard touchdown run with 2:33 left in the quarter, after the Pirates took over at the Hornets' 3-yard line after Delaware State had a bad snap on the punt attempt.
 
Hampton got on the board again as time expired in the third quarter, after sophomore kicker Anthony Prevost (Chesterfield, Va.) hit a 43-yard field goal, matching the career-long he set last season at South Carolina State.
 
Two of Delaware State's three interceptions came in the fourth quarter, and the Hornets only managed to get into Pirates territory five times on the afternoon.
 
The Hornets only managed 34 rushing yards on the day. Defensively, the Pirates racked up seven sacks.
 
The Pirates return to Armstrong Stadium on Saturday for Homecoming, when they will square off against Morgan State at 2 p.m. 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.