HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University softball team celebrated Senior Day at a sun-splashed Lady Pirates Softball Stadium on Saturday, splitting a doubleheader against rival Norfolk State. Hampton won the second game 8-0 in five innings after falling 5-1 in the first game.
 
The Lady Pirates are now 18-23 overall on the season and 11-5 in MEAC play.
 
Hampton took advantage of six errors from Norfolk State in the second game – three of which came in the bottom of the second inning. A pair of singles and an error loaded the bases to open the inning, before Margaret Wilkins (Tustin, Calif.) singled to center field to bring in Jessica Reiman (Massillon, Ohio) and Kerrisa Burruel (Phoenix, Ariz.).
 
That gave the Lady Pirates a 2-0 lead before Diamond Ponds (Riverside, Calif.) reached on an error to score Wilkins and Danielle Budden (Jackson, N.J.) to put Hampton up 4-0. Jada Fields (Woodland Park, N.J.) reached on another error later in the inning, scoring Ponds and Taylor McCoy (Riverview, Fla.).
 
By the time the inning ended, the Lady Pirates led 6-0.
 
Another Norfolk State error in the fourth led to a Hampton run, as Reiman reached on the error and Fields – who herself reached on an error and advanced to second on the same play – scored to put the Lady Pirates up 7-0.
 
Hampton loaded the bases on three singles in the bottom of the fifth, before Allyson Babinsack (Hampton, Va.) singled to right field to bring in Lorena Alvarez (Saddle Brook, N.J.) and give the Lady Pirates the 8-0 win.
 
Wilkins and Babinsack each had two hits in the second game, with Wilkins driving in two runs.
 
Jailynn Jackson (Virginia Beach, Va.) struck out seven batters in five innings, only allowing two hits in winning her home finale and picking up her fifth win of the season.
 
Norfolk State took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning in the first game of the day, after Whitney Williams doubled down the left field line – and off the third base bag – to give the Spartans a 1-0 lead. Kayla McNair followed with an RBI groundout.
 
Williams followed with a two-run home run in the fifth inning to put the Spartan s up 4-0. She added an RBI single in the sixth inning, putting Norfolk State up 5-0.
 
Williams had four RBIs.
 
The Lady Pirates had numerous scoring opportunities in the first game, despite only having three hits – loading the bases on two different occasions before hitting into inning-ending double plays in the first and third innings.
 
A sacrifice fly from Babinsack in the bottom of the sixth scored Ponds and cut the lead to 5-1.
 
Ponds, McCoy, and Burruel each had a hit in the first game.
 
The two teams will conclude the series on Sunday at 12 p.m. in Hampton's home finale. 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.