HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University softball team won its series finale against Howard on Sunday at the Lady Pirates Softball Stadium, emerging from a late tie for the 7-4 victory.
 
The Lady Pirates improved to 15-17 overall and 6-3 in conference play.
 
Hampton got on the board in the bottom of the first inning when freshman Kayla DeSchepper (Lakewood, Colo.) walked with the bases loaded to bring in junior Margaret Wilkins (Tustin, Calif.) to give the Lady Pirates a 1-0 lead.
 
Howard (2-28, 1-11 MEAC) answered in the top of the fourth with an RBI single from Ashley Turner to tie the game at 1-1.
 
Hampton took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning after DeSchepper singled up the middle; sophomore Taylor McCoy (Riverview, Fla.), who had been on first base after a single of her own, advanced to third on the play before scoring on an error.
 
Howard threatened to score in the top of the sixth, with runners on first and second and two outs. Imani Ballard singled to right field, and redshirt-sophomore Raenelle Taylor (Aquasco, Md.) threw Briana Banks out at the plate to end the inning.
 
The Lady Pirates then broke the game open in the bottom of the frame, starting when Wilkins reached on an error and sophomore Courtney Melton (Chesapeake, Va.) scored to put Hampton up 3-1. Freshman Danielle Budden (Jackson, N.J.) followed that with a single up the middle that brought in a pair of runs.
 
Wilkins then scored on a wild pitch to put the Lady Pirates up 5-1, before DeSchepper singled to right field to bring in McCoy and Budden to put Hampton up 7-1.
 
Howard loaded the bases in the top of the seventh inning, scoring a run on a groundout, before another run came across on an error and Banks singled home a run to cut the lead to 7-4. But the final out of the game came on a play at the plate, giving Hampton the series win.
 
Budden, McCoy, DeSChepper, and Taylor each had two hits for the Lady Pirates, while DeSchepper drove in a team-high three runs. Wilkins and McCoy each scored twice.
 
Junior Jailynn Jackson (Virginia Beach, Va.) picked up her 11th win of the season, throwing the full seven innings.
 
The Lady Pirates will return to the Lady Pirates Softball Stadium on Wednesday at 2 p.m. for a doubleheader against George Washington. 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.