NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State softball team plays its first home televised game in 13 years Saturday to kick off a pivotal four-game series with Howard University at the NSU Softball Field.

The teams play a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. Saturday, and game one will be broadcast live on ESPNU. Sunday's second doubleheader of the weekend between the teams is slated for a noon start.

The series is key for both teams. While the two squads are tied for first among all MEAC teams in total wins with seven each, both opened MEAC Northern Division play with series defeats last weekend.

Media Coverage
Saturday's game one will be televised live on ESPNU. The Spartans are 1-2 all-time in ESPNU-televised games, including 1-1 at the NSU Softball Field. The Spartans beat FAMU in 2007 in the first TV game in school history that year before falling to Hampton in 2008 at home. NSU's last ESPNU game came in 2013 at Hampton, a 4-1 defeat.

MEAC Hall of Fame Charlie Neal (play-by-play) and former University of Michigan national champion pitcher Jennie Ritter (color) will have the call.

Games 2-4 of the series will be broadcast on Spartan Showcase Video Streaming. Live stats will be available for all four games at www.sidearmstats.com/nsu/softball.

Spartans at a Glance
NSU (7-11, 0-4 MEAC North) dropped all four games of a tight series at Morgan State last Saturday and Sunday. The Bears bottled up one of the MEAC's top offenses, holding NSU to a total of seven runs in the four games.

Despite the tough going last weekend, NSU still leads all MEAC teams with 10 homers, 130 total hits and 26 stolen bases on the year. The Spartans' pitching staff ranks first in the league with 108 strikeouts and second with a 2.94 ERA.

Among many standouts at the plate, senior catcher Tuli Iosefa leads the MEAC in home runs (three), is second in RBI (13) and total bases (28), and is third in slugging percentage (.622). Her .356 average also ranks among the top 10 in the conference.

Shortstop Jade Dixon (.346) and first baseman Brooke Bond (.306) also check in with batting averages over .300. Bond, outfielder Gabby Vaughan and infielder Denisha Megginson have two home runs apiece.

NSU has also been strong in the circle. Reliever Kirsten Greene (1.85) and starter Alexis Robinson (2.69) rank second and fifth, respectively, among MEAC pitchers in ERA. Cam Andersen is second in the conference with 35 strikeouts.

Bison at a Glance
Howard dropped three out of four games at home last weekend to Delaware State, opening their MEAC slate at 1-3. Through 12 games, the Bison pace the conference with a .333 team batting average, and have been successful in 20 of their 22 stolen-base attempts.

Camille Navarro (.429) and Sydni Jones (.382) rank second and fifth, respectively, in the MEAC in hitting. Preseason MEAC Player of the Year Kalita Dennis is batting .344 with two homers.

Howard has used three pitchers so far. Kianna Carr has a team-high four wins and leads all MEAC pitchers with 58 strikeouts.