NORFOLK, Va. – No. 2 seed Howard used a three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to comeback over the No. 3 seed Norfolk State softball team in game four, 11-8, of the 2022 MEAC Softball Championship at the NSU Softball Field.
The Spartans got on the board first, in the first, when Alison Guckin scored off a sacrifice fly by Kenna Higa that put NSU ahead, 1-0. The Bison answered back in the bottom of the first scoring five runs on four hits including a three-run home run by Kalita Dennis to give the Bison a 5-1 lead after just one inning.
Morgan Johnson led off the top of the second for the Spartans with a double to left center and advanced to third on a ground out by Victoria Ruiz. This time it was Guckin who hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Johnson and pull the Spartans within three at 5-2.
With one out in the top of the third Lily Potter drew a full-count walk. On an attempted throw down to second as Potter reached safely, a throwing error allowed her to reach third. Davis hit the Spartans' third sacrifice fly of the game to left center to score Potter as NSU closed the lead to 5-3.
It was the fifth inning that saw the Spartans retake the lead with four runs on four hits. Potter reached on a fielders' choice and stole second before Davis doubled to center field that scored Potter and pulled NSU within one. A passed ball allowed Davis to reach third and Loren Hudson walked on a full count to put runners on the corners with one out. Gabby Gosman came into pinch run for Hudson and immediately stole second. Johnson walked on four-straight pitches to load the bases. Cam Andersen pinch hit for Victoria Ruiz and singled up the middle on the first pitch she saw that score both Gosman and Davis as the Spartans retook the lead, 6-5. NSU added one more later in the inning when Tuli Iosefa hit a bloop single down the right field line that scored Johnson.
With the Spartans leading 7-5 heading to the sixth, Davis scored from second off a Hudson single up the middle. However, Howard tied the score up at eight in the bottom of the frame with three runs on four hits. Sidney Fletcher led off with a home run to left center and Ayana Sallee followed with a double. Sallee eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Camille Navarro and Lalani Ricks scored on a double by Alyssa Vasquez.
After a scoreless seventh by both teams, Navarro led off the bottom of the eighth with a triple to right center and Ricks reached on a walk. Vasquez hit the first pitch she saw over the center field fence for the walk-off win, 11-8, in eight innings.
The Spartans (32-22) move to the losers' bracket and will face off against Maryland Eastern Shore in an elimination game. Due to predicted inclement weather in the area on Thursday, games times have been moved up and the UMES/NSU game will now take place at 12 p.m.
