Game 1
Game 2

HAMPTON, Va. — Rebecca Barnes (Hampton, Va.) hit a two-run home run in game 1 to help the Norfolk State softball team to a 5-4 win over Hampton in eight innings and Kelsie Saunders went 3-for-4 with two RBI to give HU a 10-6 win in game 2 at Lady Pirate Field on Thursday.

In game 1, NSU (11-9) took a 3-1 lead after the third inning, but HU (7-9) tied things up in the bottom of the fourth. The game would remain tied at the end of the seventh inning, sending it into extra innings. Barnes came up big in the top of the eighth with a homer that scored her and Brianeisha Eure (Virginia Beach, Va.), who was placed on second base to start the inning.

The Lady Pirates could only get one across in the bottom of the inning, sealing the win for NSU.

Alyssa Velazquez (Aurora, Colo.) picked up the win after an eight-inning complete game in which she allowed seven hits and four earned runs and struck out seven. Amanda Black took the loss after giving up five hits and five earned runs in eight innings.

In the second game, the Lady Pirates wasted no time getting on the board as they led 8-0 after the first three innings. NSU got one across in the top of the fourth when Kristin Fungo (Norfolk, Va.) hit her first career triple to score Jamie Raab (Houston, Tex.) from first.

The Spartans would only manage five more runs for the rest of the game, with the fourth one coming via another homer by Barnes.

Ashley Weissenbach earned the win for HU after pitching seven innings and giving up nine hits, six runs (five earned) and striking out nine. Elizabeth Castaneda (Montclair, Calif.) fell to 1-3 on the season with the loss. She allowed 10 hits and eight runs (five earned) in three innings of work.

The Spartans host the annual Spartan Clash this weekend with games at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Participating teams include St. Bonaventure, Gardner-Webb and Morgan State. Log on to www.nsuspartans.com for more information about the 2009 Spartan Clash.