PRINCESS ANNE, Md. – The Hampton University softball team will hit the road for its final MEAC road series of the season on Saturday and Sunday, as the Lady Pirates will square off against Maryland Eastern Shore on Saturday and Sunday at Hawk Field.
 
Schedule: Doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m.; one game on Sunday at 12 p.m.
 
Live Stats: Saturday Game 1, Saturday Game 2, Sunday.
 
Last Time Out: The Lady Pirates (14-18, 6-2 MEAC) have won nine of their last 11 games following this past weekend's three-game set at Howard – in which Hampton won two of the three games. Hampton defeated Howard 10-0 this past Sunday, thanks to seven shutout innings and a career-high nine strikeouts from freshman Allyson Babinsack (Hampton, Va.), as well as three RBIs each from junior Taylor McCoy (Riverview, Fla.) and junior Jessica Reiman (Massillon, Ohio).
 
The Opponent: Hampton is 84-9 all-time against Maryland Eastern Shore, including three-game sweep of the Hawks last season. Overall, the Lady Pirates have won each of the last 11 meetings between the two teams; the last time UMES defeated Hampton was in the 2011 season.
 
New Era: The 2015 season marks Joe DiPietro's first season as head coach of the Hampton University softball program; he takes over after serving in the same capacity at Temple for five seasons – where he won 115 games. DiPietro will be joined on the staff by assistant coaches Michael Pelegrino and Kendra Knight; Pelegrino served as interim head coach last season for the Lady Pirates, winning 29 games.
 
Lady Pirates Picked to Win North: The Lady Pirates were picked to win the MEAC Northern Division this season, racking up 10 first-place votes in a preseason poll conducted by the league's head coaches and sports information directors. The Lady Pirates won a share of the MEAC Northern Division crown last season with a 15-3 conference record, a season after winning the regular-season crown outright.
 
Jackson Preseason Pitcher of Year: Senior Jailynn Jackson (Virginia Beach, Va.), the two-time reigning MEAC Pitcher of the Year, has been named the conference's Preseason Pitcher of the Year, as voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors. Jackson won 19 games – including 10 in conference play – en route to a 2.69 ERA and First Team All-MEAC honors. She struck out a season-high seven against Delaware State on March 28, and she added six strikeouts at Morgan State on April 9.
 
Budden, Wilkins Recognized: Sophomore Danielle Budden (Jackson, N.J.) and Margaret Wilkins (Tustin, Calif.) were each named Preseason First Team All-MEAC. Wilkins was fourth in the MEAC in batting last season at .403, and she was second in the conference with 46 runs scored. Budden, who was named First Team All-MEAC last season, was third on the team with a .342 batting average, and she led the team with six home runs. Wilkins currently leads the team in batting at .388 and she is on an 11-game hitting streak.
 
McCoy Also Recognized: McCoy was named Preseason Second Team All-MEAC, coming off a 2014 season that saw her lead the team with a .979 fielding percentage and rank second on the team in batting with a .348 batting average. She had a team-high 15 doubles and was 8-for-9 in stolen bases. So far this season, McCoy is second on the team in batting, hitting .375, and she leads the Lady Pirates with seven doubles. She has hit safely in her last 10 games, including a two-hit, three-RBI performance this past Sunday at Howard.
 
Babinsack Making An Impression: Babinsack leads the Lady Pirates with two home runs so far this season, and she is also the team's top pitcher so far in 2015 with a mark of 6-6 and a 3.53 ERA. She struck out eight batters against Liberty on March 24, and Babinsack, who is 11-6 on the season, has recorded wins in each of her last eight outings. She was named MEAC Rookie and Pitcher of the Week following the Delaware State series, and this past Monday saw her earn MEAC Co-Pitcher of the Week honors. This past Sunday at Howard, Babinsack threw seven shutout innings, recording a season-high nine strikeouts.
 
Schedule Shuffling Galore: With their six games at the season-opening USF Under Armour Invitational, the Lady Pirates were set to embark on a packed schedule – particularly in non-conference play. However, inclement weather throughout the second half of February kept Hampton from competing in tournaments in both Greenville, S.C. and Greensboro, N.C., and the Lady Pirates had to cancel the Lady Pirates Classic. But in addition to four games in Elon, Hampton competed in the Rebel Games in March, competing in eight games over the course of five days. In addition, Hampton's MEAC series finale at Morgan State was postponed due to weather; no make-up date has been announced.
 
Winning and More Winning: The Lady Pirates have won 103 games over the past three-plus seasons, including 34 wins in the 2013 season in which Hampton won both the MEAC Northern Division regular-season title and the MEAC Tournament crown. Hampton won 29 games last season, advancing to the semifinals of the MEAC Tournament.
 
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.