BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – The Hampton University softball team split its games on Sunday in the final day of the Runnin' Bulldog Tournament at Brinkley Softball Stadium, beating Hartford 5-2 before falling 9-1 to Gardner-Webb.
 
The Lady Pirates went 3-1 for the weekend.
 
Freshman Ashley Grassini hit her second home run in as many days in the bottom of the second inning against Hartford, a solo shot to center field that put Hampton up 1-0. The Lady Pirates added two more in the third, when sophomore Allyson Babinsack doubled to right center, giving Hampton a 3-0 lead.
 
That hit scored junior Danielle Budden and senior Diamond Ponds.
 
Freshman Hope Sobelewski walked to lead off the bottom of the fourth inning before advancing to second on a Grassini single and later stealing third. She then scored on a single from junior Kayla DeSchepper to put the Lady Pirates up 4-0.
 
Hartford scored a run in the top of the sixth, cutting the lead to 4-1, before junior Taylor Clark doubled home sophomore Lorena Alvarez in the bottom of the inning to stretch the lead to 5-1.
 
Hartford scored again in the top of the seventh, but just once.
 
Grassini led the Lady Pirates (3-1) with three hits against Hartford, while Babinsack drove in a team-high two runs.
 
Babinsack also picked up her second win on the season, striking out four in seven innings.
 
Gardner-Webb took control of the second game by pushing across four runs in the bottom of the first inning, including a bases-clearing double from Callie Thornton, to take a 4-0 lead.
 
The Lady Pirates struck in the top of the third inning, starting with a bunt single from Budden and a single from senior Taylor McCoy. Budden scored later in the inning on a throwing error, cutting Gardner-Webb's lead to 4-1.
 
But the Runnin' Bulldogs scored four more times in the bottom of the third to take an 8-1 lead, before scoring again in the fourth to take the 9-1 edge.
 
McCoy and Babinsack each had two hits.
 
Hampton will be at home for the first time this season on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, hosting the Lady Pirates Classic at the Lady Pirates Softball Complex with a field that includes Buffalo, Rhode Island, Quinnipiac, and Princeton.
 
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.