NORFOLK, Va. – After a disappointing finish to the first game, the Norfolk State softball team rebounded to top Hampton in game 2 as the teams split a MEAC doubleheader on Saturday afternoon in the Battle of the Bay at the NSU Softball Field.
The Lady Pirates broke a close game open in the sixth inning, scoring seven runs on the way to a 10-1 victory. But in game 2, senior
Jaylene Pryor hit a go-ahead solo homer in the fifth, and junior
Kylee Lopez hit a two-run shot an inning later in a 5-2 NSU triumph.
Junior
Shelby DesChamps had a big day, hitting 5-for-7 and scoring a pair of runs in the second contest. Pryor, meanwhile, batted 3-for-4 and drove in a pair of runs in game 2 as well.
NSU improved to 20-29 overall and 9-8 in the MEAC. Hampton saw its record run to 20-23, 9-5 in league play.
The Spartans must win on Sunday to have a chance to advance to the MEAC Tournament. They would also need Coppin State to lose to Morgan State on Sunday and Howard next week, or for either Hampton or Delaware State to sweep the other next weekend.
On senior weekend – Senior Day will officially be celebrated on Sunday – senior
Megan Przeslawski (1-3) earned the win for NSU. She scattered nine hits and allowed two earned runs in all seven innings. Relief pitcher Allyson Babinsack, who earned the victory in game 1 for Hampton, took the loss in the second contest after giving up Pryor's solo shot.
DesChamps walked to lead off the first inning and later scored on Pryor's RBI single to center for the early Spartan lead. The Pirates scored an unearned run in the second and added another in the third on an RBI single from Morgan Crawford.
Down 2-1 at that point, NSU tied it up in the fourth against Hampton starter Allie Hotetz. Przeslawski and DesChamps singled with one out to put two runners on base. Hampton got the second out, but the throw to first on the potential third out one batter later was wide of the bag, allowing Przeslawski to score.
After Babinsack entered the game, Pryor launched the first pitch of the bottom of the fifth over the left center field fence for a 3-2 lead. DesChamps reached on an error in the sixth before scoring on Lopez' two-run blast to left center for the final margin.
Pryor's home run gave NSU a new fastpitch single-season home run record as well. The previous school best had been 36, set in 2014. The Spartans now have 38 on the year.
Also on Saturday, senior
Seana Moriarty surpassed Michelle Baytop for the school's career sacrifice hits record. Moriarty had a pair in game 2 to give her 31 now, topping Baytop's previous mark of 30 set 30 years ago.
NSU had just five hits in game 2, however, including two from DesChamps. Babinsack gave up just one unearned run in all six innings of work.
Hampton plated three runs in the second frame. A pair of singles after an NSU error brought home the first run, and two more scored on DaSha Hill's single into center.
NSU responded in the bottom of the third. Freshman
Skylar Swain singled to put runners on the corners, and DesChamps followed with an infield single to make it a 3-1 ballgame.
Hampton, however, had five hits and was aided by a pair of Spartan errors early in the sixth inning. Alana VanDenburg and Cassidy Blackwell each had two-run hits in the inning.
Only two of the 10 runs the Pirates scored in the game were earned.
NSU and Hampton will finish out the series on Sunday at noon. It will also serve as Senior Day for the Spartan program.
