ORMOND BEACH, Fla. – DaSha Hill and Alana VanDenburg had three hits apiece for Hampton, but Savannah State scored seven runs in the last two innings to pull away for a 9-3 win in the 2018 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Tournament opener on Wednesday.

With the loss, Hampton (22-27) drops to the elimination bracket where they'll face Coppin State at noon on Thursday.  A win will put them into another contest at 5pm at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex.

Savannah State took advantage of uncharacteristic wildness from starter Allyson Babinsack with three walks in the first inning to take a 2-0 lead on a two-run single by winning pitcher Amber Hallman.

Hampton scratched a run across in the bottom of the fifth as with one out Hill reached on a single and took second on an errant throw.  She stole third before a two-out single by VanDenburg plated Hill for a 2-1 deficit.

The Tigers erupted with three runs in the sixth and four in the seventh to take a 9-1 lead.   Hampton pushed two across in the bottom of the seventh as Quierra Bradford started the inning with a pinch-hit solo home run to centerfield.  After one out, Hill followed with a single and her second stolen base of the game before scoring on another two-out single by VanDenburg.

For more information on Hampton University softball contact the Office of Sports Information at 757-727-5757 or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.