Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box
NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State softball team split a doubleheader with rival Hampton University on Thursday afternoon at the NSU Softball Field. The Spartans (3-12) prevailed 2-1 in game one, but dropped a 4-2 decision to the Lady Pirates (7-19) in game two.
In the opener, shortstop Jamie Raab (Houston, Tex.) knocked in the go-ahead run with a one-out RBI single in the bottom of the sixth. Alyssa Velazquez (Aurora, Colo.) then retired the Lady Pirates in order in the top of the seventh to seal the win and wrap up her complete game.
NSU took a 1-0 lead in the third on a two-out RBI double by Rebecca Barnes (Hampton, Va.). Barnes' hit scored Candice Vazquez, who had walked, but Casey Pomeroy (Fallon, Nev.) was thrown out at home at the end of the play.
That turned out to be a key play as Hampton tied the game at 1-all in the top of the fourth. Kelsei Saunders walked to lead off the inning and went to second on Sharde' Estep's single. Saunders advanced to third on a fielder's choice and scored on Adrinna Scott's groundout, tying the game.
Neither team threatened again until the bottom of the sixth. Brianeisha Eure (Virginia Beach, Va.) walked to lead off the inning. Barnes followed with her second double of the game, but Eure was thrown out at home trying to score. Raab kept the rally going, though, by singling up the middle off HU pitcher Travonna Byrd, allowing courtesy runner Meagan Long (Virginia Beach, Va.) to score from second.
Velazquez allowed just five hits and one run, walking two and striking out one, to earn her second pitching win of the season. Barnes had two of NSU's three hits, while Tamara Vickers was 3-for-3 for HU.
The Lady Pirates struck first in game two as NSU starting pitcher Pomeroy got off to a slow start. Nina Ferguson walked to start the game. After a Vickers sacrifice, Byrd was hit by a pitch and Estep singled to load the bases. Jada Jeffries then walked with two outs and the bases loaded to force in Ferguson with the game's first run.
NSU answered with Barnes' RBI single in the bottom of the first.
But Hampton regained the lead at 2-1 in the top of the fourth as Vickers hit a run-scoring single off Velazquez, who relieved Pomeroy after just one inning.
The Spartans had another sixth-inning rally in store in game two. Raab was hit by a Jeffries pitch to start the inning, and she went to third on a single by Meghan Ramsey (Virginia Beach, Va.). Danielle Wright (Safety Harbor, Fla.) then executed a nice squeeze bunt, scoring Raab from third with the tying run.
But Jeffries avoided further harm by getting Velazquez to hit into a double-play with the bases loaded.
The Lady Pirates took the lead for good in their last at-bat in the top of the seventh. Saunders and Estep led off with singles, and both would score on Brooke Boykin's two-run double to the fence in left-center off Velazquez (2-6).
Jeffries (5-6) retired the Spartans in order in the bottom of the seventh to help HU earn the split.
Barnes finished the doubleheader 3-for-7 with two RBI for NSU. Outfielder Sarah Spanka (Virginia Beach, Va.) was 2-for-3 in the nightcap.
Vickers was a perfect 6-for-6 in the doubleheader for the Lady Pirates, who outhit NSU 12-5 in the nightcap. Estep was 3-for-4 in game two and Boykin was 2-for-4.
NSU plays a doubleheader at Longwood on Saturday.
