HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University softball team lost both games of a doubleheader to Radford Wednesday afternoon at the Lady Pirates Softball Stadium, falling 6-0 in the first game before losing the second game 5-1.
The Lady Pirates are now 12-24 on the season.
The Highlanders struck first in the top of the third inning of the first game, pushing three runs across and taking a 3-0 lead after a two-run home run to left field from Summer Robinson.
Robinson added another two-run blast in the fifth inning to put Radford up 5-0. A sacrifice fly from Marissa Gagliano followed in the top of the seventh to give the Highlanders a 6-0 lead.
Meanwhile, Abby Morrow took a no-hitter into the sixth inning, when senior
Diamond Ponds reached on a bunt single to break up the no-no. Senior
Taylor McCoy added a single of her own in the seventh for Hampton's other hit.
Freshman
Allie Hotetz struck out six batters.
The first four innings of the second game were a pitchers' duel; in fact, through four innings, both teams had combined for just one hit. But the Highlanders broke through in the fifth inning on a two-run triple from Robinson that gave Radford a 2-0 lead.
Ponds broke up another Radford no-hit bid in the bottom of the second with a double to left center field, and she later advanced to third on a passed ball. Junior
Danielle Budden also walked and stole a base in the inning, and Ponds scored on a wild pitch to cut the lead to 2-1.
But Radford answered with three runs in the top of the seventh, pushing across three runs to take a 5-1 lead.
Sophomore
Jada Fields struck out five batters in 6.1 innings of work.
MEAC play will resume this weekend, beginning on Saturday with a doubleheader against Maryland Eastern Shore at 1 p.m. at the Lady Pirates Softball Stadium. 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.