HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University softball team swept both of its games in the final day of the Lady Pirates Classic on Sunday at the Lady Pirates Softball Stadium, defeating Iona 5-3 before coming back to beat Drexel 3-2 in walkoff fashion.
 
The Lady Pirates (8-7) have won seven of their last nine games.
 
Iona took a 3-0 lead with three runs in the top of the second inning in Hampton's first game of the day, but the Lady Pirates answered immediately, scoring four times in the bottom of the frame to take the lead.
 
Sophomore Diamond Ponds (Riverside, Calif.) tripled to left-center field to bring home redshirt-sophomore Raenelle Taylor (Aquasco, Md.) and freshman Heather Baccus (Hertford, N.C.), before scoring when junior Margaret Wilkins (Tustin, Calif.) reached on a throwing error.
 
Wilkins then stole third before scoring on another throwing error to put Hampton up 4-3.
 
The Lady Pirates added a run in the bottom of the fourth; after Ponds walked, she stole second and scored when the throw sailed into the outfield to put Hampton up 5-3.
 
Sophomore Jecholia Pratt (Orlando, Fla.) picked up her second win of the season after pitching the first four innings. Junior Jailynn Jackson (Virginia Beach, Va.) pitched the last three innings, striking out three and giving up just two hits.
 
Jackson followed that with a seven-inning, nine-strikeout performance against Drexel, even though the Lady Pirates trailed 2-0 after the top of the fifth inning after the Dragons scored twice to take advantage of a fielding error.
 
Hampton answered in the bottom of the frame, as Wilkins and Ponds scored on a single up the middle from sophomore Taylor McCoy (Riverview, Fla.) to tie the game at 2-2.
 
Wilkins led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a single, before stealing second to get herself into scoring position. McCoy was intentionally walked to set up the double play, but with two outs in the inning, junior Kerissa Burruel (Phoenix, Ariz.) reached on an error, which allowed Wilkins to score to end the game.
 
Wilkins went 3-for-4 at the plate against the Dragons, while McCoy led the way with two RBIs.
 
Jackson held Drexel to just two hits in picking up her sixth win of the season.
 
The Lady Pirates will play host to Drexel again on Monday, with a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m. at the Lady Pirates Softball Stadium. 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.