HAMPTON, Va. — The North Carolina Central University softball team suffered a 5-1 and 2-0 doubleheader loss by host Hampton University on Wednesday afternoon.
The Lady Pirates improved to 17-19 overall while the Lady Eagles dipped to 11-24.
NCCU returns to MEAC Southern Division play with a three-game series at South Carolina State University on Saturday-Sunday, April 21-22.
GAME ONE: Hampton 5, NC Central 1
Senior
Lauren Sitterson tossed her first complete game of the season and drove in the only run for the Lady Eagles, but the Pirates were able to string together six of their seven hits in the two scoring innings to prevail by four runs.
A trio of singles and stolen bases in the third inning led to the first three Hampton runs. The Pirates tacked on two more runs in the sixth. They also recorded four of their five stolen bases in those two frames.
The seven Hampton hits, five runs and three RBI were spread amongst that many players in each stat category. Junior DaSha Hill, who is battling NCCU's
Ava Dolan and Coppin State's Nia Bowe for the MEAC's batting title, paced the Pirates with a hit, walk, two stolen bases, RBI and a run scored.
Reigning First Team All-MEAC starting pitcher junior Allyson Babinsack held NCCU to just three hits in tallying the complete-game victory.
Freshman
Jessica Powell reached base on fielder's choice in the fourth, then stole second and advanced to third on Hampton's second error of the inning before scoring on Sitterson's sac fly.
Sophomore
Dalika Wallace went 2-for-2 with two singles to pace the maroon and gray.
Babinsack (8-10) had three strikeouts while Sitterson (0-2) posted one K.
GAME TWO: Hampton 2, NC Central 0
The Lady Eagles were limited to five hits on the way to being held scoreless for an eighth time this season. Hampton junior Allie Hotetz (9-8) recorded her third shutout with three strikeouts from the rubber.
Senior
Courtney Mirabella had two of NCCU's five base knocks. Mirabella singled to lead-off the third and nearly scored on a double belted by junior
Claire Eosso, but she was tagged out trying to score on the relay throw to home plate. Mirabella's second hit was another single with no outs after freshman
Aiyana Campbell was hit by a pitch. However, Hotetz came up with two of her three strikeouts after a sacrifice bunt to leave them stranded in scoring position.
Eosso matched Mirabella with two hits, adding a single in the seventh.
Eosso (0-7) suffered the loss despite only allowing two runs over the first four innings. Mirabella tossed two innings of scoreless relief.
The Pirates scored both of their runs in the home half of the fourth. The rally featured back-bo-back triples to start the frame by sophomore Taylor Warrick and senior Alana VanDenburg.
VanDenburg finished with two of Hampton's five hits.
