HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University softball team dropped its home opening doubleheader against Marist on Wednesday afternoon at the Lady Pirates Softball Stadium, losing the first game 6-2 before falling 8-0 in the second game. 
The Lady Pirates are 5-15 on the season. 
Hampton struck first in the bottom of the first inning of the first game; after senior 
Margaret Wilkins (Tustin, Calif.) led off the inning with a single up the middle, she stole second and later advanced to third on a groundout. 
Wilkins then scored on a groundout from junior 
Taylor McCoy (Riverview, Fla.) to give Hampton a 1-0 lead. 
But a home run and a sacrifice fly from Marist in the top of the second put the Red Foxes up 2-1, before Marist tacked on another run in the top of the third to go up 3-1. 
A run in the sixth and two in the seventh put Marist up 6-1. 
Freshman 
Jada Fields (Woodland Park, N.J.) led off the seventh with a single to right field before advancing to second on a groundout. Walks to Wilkins and junior 
Diamond Ponds (Riverside, Calif.) followed to load the bases, before McCoy grounded out to bring home Fields and cut the lead to 6-2. 
Junior 
Jessica Reiman (Massillon, Ohio) had three of Hampton's nine hits in the first game, while McCoy drove in both of the team's runs. 
Senior 
Jailynn Jackson (Virginia Beach, Va.) struck out a season-high six in seven innings. 
Marist held the Lady Pirates to just three hits in the second game, while the Red Foxes pushed across two runs in the fourth, three more in the fifth, and two more in the sixth to take a 7-0 lead. 
Two of those runs came on a home run in the fifth. 
Marist tacked on another run in the top of the seventh on a bases-loaded walk to push the game to its final margin. 
Junior 
Jecoliah Pratt (Orlando, Fla.) and freshman 
Allyson Babinsack (Hampton, Va.) combined to strike out three batters. 
The Lady Pirates will open MEAC play in Baltimore, Md. this weekend with a three-game set at Morgan State. 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.