ORMOND BEACH, Fla. – The Hampton University softball team bounced back from an 8-0 loss to Bethune-Cookman on Thursday with a 10-2, five-inning win over rival Howard on the first day of the MEAC Tournament at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex.
 
The Lady Pirates (20-25) will face either Delaware State or Bethune-Cookman on Friday at 10 a.m.
 
Hampton wasted no time on the bounce-back in the afternoon, scoring twice to open the game against Howard. Taylor McCoy (Riverview, Fla.) opened the scoring with a triple to right field that brought home Diamond Ponds (Riverside, Calif.) – before scoring herself on a single from Jada Fields (Woodland Park, N.J.) that gave the Lady Pirates a 2-0 lead.
 
Howard, the Northern Division's No. 4 seed, scored an unearned run in the bottom of the first, cutting the lead to 2-1.
 
The Lady Pirates broke the game open in the second inning, pushing across four runs. Margaret Wilkins (Tustin, Calif.) singled to bring home Raenelle Taylor (Aquasco, Md.), before Ponds doubled to left field, bringing in Wilkins and Danielle Budden (Jackson, N.J.) to give Hampton a 5-1 lead.
 
McCoy followed with a single to score Ponds and give Hampton a 6-1 lead.
 
Budden got a three-run third inning started with a single up the middle that scored McKalee Rouse (Aledo, Texas), before Wilkins hit a sacrifice fly to left field and McCoy brought in another run with a groundout, putting the Lady Pirates up 9-1.
 
Taylor reached on a fielder's choice in the fourth, scoring Fields and putting Hampton up 10-1.
 
A sac fly in the bottom of the fifth pushed across Howard's second run, cutting the lead to 10-2.
 
Ponds, McCoy, Taylor, and Budden each had two hits for the Lady Pirates in the afternoon game, while Taylor drove in a team-high three runs. Ponds and Wilkins each drove in two runs.
 
Jailynn Jackson (Virginia Beach, Va.) struck out three to pick up her sixth win of the season.
 
Hampton fell into the consolation bracket after opening the day with an 8-0, five-inning loss to Bethune-Cookman, the No. 2 seed in the MEAC Southern Division. The Wildcats scored four runs in the bottom of the first before adding a run in the second to take a 5-0 lead.
 
B-CU then scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth to take an 8-0 lead.
 
The Lady Pirates were held to three hits against the Wildcats – one each from McCoy, Taylor, and Budden. Two of the three hits came in the fifth inning.
 
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.