NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk State softball begins the chase for a conference title on Thursday when NSU plays host to the 2021 MEAC Championship. The double-elimination tournament will run from Thursday-Saturday at the NSU Softball Field.
 
The Spartans play in the first game of the tournament at 12 p.m. on Thursday against North Carolina A&T, winners of the MEAC Southern Division. NSU earned the North No. 2 seed after going 12-7 in the conference this year, 19-17 overall. The Aggies posted an 11-29 overall record, 10-6 in the league. Only the top two teams from each division qualified for this year's tournament.
 
The Spartans finished above .500 in conference play for the eighth time in the last nine years, excluding last season that was cut short due to COVID-19. The Spartans can also finish .500 or better overall this year for the fifth time in their Division I era. NSU is searching for its first ever MEAC title.

This year's team had six All-MEAC players, announced on Tuesday. Catcher Tuli Iosefa and outfielders Jazzmaine Hammond and Gabby Vaughan were named first team, pitcher Kirsten Greene and third baseman Denisha Megginson were tabbed to the second team, and outfielder Imani Moore was voted to the third team. Head coach James Inzana was named the MEAC Coach of the Year as well.
 
Tournament Schedule
Following the NSU-A&T contest, North No. 1 seed Morgan State (14-5) takes on South No. 2 seed North Carolina Central (9-7) at 3 p.m. on Thursday. Friday's schedule is as follows:
Game 3 -- 12 p.m., Thursday's winners
Game 4 -- 3 p.m., Thursday's losers
Game 5 -- 6 p.m., game 3 loser vs. game 4 winner
 
Saturday's championship begins at 12 p.m. as well. Should it be needed, the if-necessary game would be played after that.
 
Live stats will be available for every game through the MEAC's StatBroadcast page. Saturday's game(s) will be streamed live on FloSports, available through its softball portal at FloSoftball.com.
 
Fan Attendance, Parking
Due to state of Virginia COVID restrictions allowing just 30 percent capacity at outdoor sporting events, NSU will not have tickets available to the general public. Tournament passes were available through each participating team for $20, and are good for games only involving that specific team during the tournament. The stadium will be cleared after every game.
 
Fans will be required to sit in the bleachers down the left and right field lines, wear a mask, and social distance while maintaining household pods at the stadium.
 
Parking will be available in lots 3 and 4 down Presidential Parkway, accessible through Gate 1 off Park Ave. There is no charge for parking.
 
Series History
NSU won this year's meeting over North Carolina A&T, 5-2, in 11 innings in the MEAC Round-Up on April 17. The Spartans have now won four in a row over A&T, including a win in their last meeting in the MEAC Tournament, 2-1 in 2019. The Aggies still lead 43-29 in the all-time series, including 4-2 in the tournament.
 
Record Time
Several Spartans as well as the team itself are creeping into the Norfolk State softball record book. Below is where they stand…
NSU Division I Season Records
Tuli Iosefa -- Slugging (12^th, .583), home runs (13^th, 6)
Jazzmaine Hammond -- Stolen bases (5^th, 25)
Jade Dixon -- Hit by pitch (2^nd, 14), sacrifices (4^th, 9)
Alexis Robinson -- ERA (4^th, 2.22), Fewest walks/7 innings (4^th, 0.93)
Cam Andersen -- Most strikeouts/7 innings (5^th, 6.09), Fewest hits/7 innings (10^th, 5.58), ERA (14^th, 2.94)
Team (per game) -- Most strikeouts (pitching)/7 innings (1^st, 5.14), Hit by pitch (1^st, 0.81), stolen bases (2^nd, 2.06), home runs (4^th, 0.58), total bases (4^th, 10.64), walks (4^th, 3.00), Fewest runs allowed/7 innings (4^th, 4.36), doubles (5^th, 1.28), slugging (5^th, .396)
Team (Total) -- Hit by pitch (2^nd, 29), stolen bases (4^th, 74), shutouts (pitching) (5^th, 4)
 
NSU Career Records
Shelby DesChamps -- Outfield putouts (3^rd, 207), walks (9^th, 62), hits (11^th, 150), outfield assists (13^th, 11)
Tuli Iosefa -- Home runs (6^th, 18), sacrifice flies (7^th, 8), infield assists (8^th, 229), doubles (11^th, 23)
Jazzmaine Hammond -- Outfield putouts (5^th, 202) outfield assists (9^th, 14), stolen bases (10^th, 76)
Jade Dixon -- Hit by pitch (2^nd, 28), sacrifices (7^th, 20)
Alexis Robinson -- Fewest walks/7 innings (1^st, 1.16), ERA (4^th, 2.45), Fewest hits/7 innings (10^th, 7.50)
Skylar Swain -- ERA (9^th, 3.10), Fewest walks/7 innings (11^th, 2.46), wins (14^th, 21), appearances (15^th, 60)
 
Rankings
Below is where Spartan players rank in the MEAC…
Tuli Iosefa -- RBI (1^st, 32), sac flies (1^st, 4), home runs (2^nd, 6), slugging (3^rd, .583), walks (3^rd, 16), total bases (3^rd, 56)
Gabby Vaughan -- Home runs (3^rd, 5), total bases (3^rd, 56), RBI (5^th, 23), slugging (5^th, .560)
Jazzmaine Hammond -- Stolen bases (1^st, 25)
Imani Moore -- Stolen bases (2^nd, 15)
Jade Dixon -- Hit by pitch (1^st, 14), plate appearances (5^th, 125)
Kirsten Greene -- ERA (1^st, 1.30), opponent batting average (1^st, .147), appearances (3^rd, 21)
Alexis Robinson -- ERA (2^nd, 2.22), opponent batting average (4^th, .248)
Cam Andersen -- Opponent batting average (2^nd, .215), ERA (4^th, 2.94), wins (4^th, 7), strikeouts (5^th, 59)
 
And nationally…
Tuli Iosefa -- Sacrifice flies (23^rd, 4), RBI/game (106^th, 0.89)
Jazzmaine Hammond -- Stolen bases/game (5^th, 0.89), stolen bases (31^st, 25)
Imani Moore -- Stolen bases/game (53^rd, 0.52)
Jade Dixon -- Hit by pitch/game (12^th, 0.40), sac bunts/game (21^st, 0.26)
Kirsten Greene -- Hits/7 innings (18^th, 3.74), ERA (28^th, 1.30)
Alexis Robinson -- Walks/7 innings (16^th, 0.93), K-to-Walk ratio (56^th, 4.88), ERA (141^st, 2.22)
Cam Andersen -- Hits/7 innings (127^th, 5.68)