HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University softball team won two of its three games on Saturday and Sunday in the Hampton University Invitational at the Lady Pirates Softball Complex.
 
The Lady Pirates (5-7) beat Saint Joseph's 8-0 in six innings on Saturday, before defeating Columbia 7-2 on Sunday. Hampton ended the tournament Sunday evening with a 4-1 loss to Hartford in a game that was called after six innings due to darkness.
 
Saturday's scoring started in the bottom of the second inning, when junior Margaret Wilkins (Tustin, Calif.) doubled home a pair of runs following an error from Saint Joseph's. Sophomore Taylor McCoy (Riverview, Fla.) gave Hampton a 3-0 lead in the third inning with her second home run of the season.
 
Redshirt-sophomore Raenelle Taylor (Aquasco, Md.) walked with the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth inning to give the Lady Pirates a 4-0 lead, before freshman Alana O'Neill (Pacifica, Calif.) singled up the middle to score two more runs.
 
The Lady Pirates invoked the run rule in the bottom of the sixth inning, when freshmen Danielle Budden (Jackson, N.J.) and Kayla DeSchepper (Lakewood, Colo.) each doubled home a run to give Hampton the 8-0 win.
 
Budden and McCoy each had two hits, while Wilkins and O'Neill each drove in two runs.
 
Junior Jailynn Jackson (Virginia Beach, Va.) struck out five hitters in six innings of work, scattering two hits and picking up her fourth win of the season.
 
Sophomore Jecholia Pratt (Orlando, Fla.) turned in a gem on the mound on Sunday against Columbia, giving up just two runs – both unearned – and striking out four batters. The Lady Pirates gave her eight hits and seven runs of support.
 
Columbia led 1-0 after two innings, but the Lady Pirates grabbed the lead in the bottom of the third after an RBI double from Budden and an RBI single from McCoy to put Hampton up 2-1.
 
A sacrifice fly from Budden kicked off the scoring in the bottom of the fifth, before McCoy doubled in a pair of runs to give the Lady Pirates a 5-1 lead. Wilkins and McCoy each had an RBI single in the sixth, putting Hampton up 7-1.
 
Columbia scored another run in the seventh, but the Lady Pirates stopped the rally.
 
McCoy went 3-for-4 at the plate against Columbia, driving in a team-high four runs.
 
Much of the contest against Hartford was a pitchers' duel, before Hartford pushed across a run in the top of the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly. Hartford scored three more times in the top of the sixth as darkness fell, taking a 4-0 lead.
 
McCoy doubled home a run in the bottom of the sixth, but a double play cut the rally short.
 
Wilkins went 2-for-3 against Hartford.
 
The Lady Pirates will host the Lady Pirates Classic this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the Lady Pirates Softball Stadium, with a field that is scheduled to include Central Connecticut State, St. Bonaventure, Drexel and Iona.
 
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.