Hampton, Howard Split

Washington, DC-April 28-Amanda Black pitched a two-hit shutout to lead Hampton University to a 6-0 win over Howard in the first game and Kristina Cordova hit a walk-off home run to help the Bison edge the Pirates, 6-5 in the second game of a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference women's softball doubleheader at Banneker Stadium.

            Black, a 5-6 sophomore and odds-on favorite to win the MEAC Pitcher of the Year award, made quick work of the Bison, allowing only two hits, walking none and striking out 5 while facing only 26 batters.  She improved to 19-4 on the season.

            Much of the Pirates' offense was supplied by freshman first baseman Jada Jeffries who was a perfect 4-for 4 and drove in three runs, and senior third baseman Maggie Wolfe, who collected three hits in four at bats.

            The game had similar characteristics of the first game of a doubleheader two weeks ago when missed opportunities and mistakes cost the Bison.

            "These games are winnable games," said Howard Coach Tonja Braxton.  "We are in these games but we make crucial mistakes.  We are not good enough to make those kind of mistakes and be able to win against good teams."

            The second game was a nip-and-tuck affair.  Howard (30-17 overall, 9-4 in the MEAC) took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first.  The Pirates (30-10 overall, 11-0 in the MEAC) tied the score in the top of the third.  The Bison regained the lead at 3-1 in the bottom of the fourth only to have the Pirates tie it at 3-3 in the top of the fifth.

            Howard scored twice in the fifth to go ahead 5-3 but Hampton, the Northern Division champions, got a two-run homer from junior Angela Balser in the top of the sixth to deadlock the score at 5-5.

            That set the stage for Cordova, a junior third baseman, who had gone hitless before that.  She hit Jeffries' first pitch over the right field fence to end the contest.

            "The funny thing is that I was getting ready to pinch hit for her," revealed Braxton.  "She delivered.  What can I say?"

            Dale McNeal (16-9) went the distance for the Bison while Jeffries (4-4) absorbed the loss.  McNeal helped her cause by driving in two runs.

            The 30 wins is the most in school history, eclipsing last year's mark of 25.  But Braxton says she wants more.

            "The 30 wins are fine," says Braxton.  "But we have to look beyond that.  We are in a position to do some good things in this program.  We need to seize the moment.  We don't know if we will ever be in this position again."

GAME NOTES:  The two teams split four games during the season, but only counted against conference standings and Hampton got both of those.

NEXT UP: The Bison close out the regular season against Morgan State in Baltimore, MD on May 6 at 11 am.

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Asst. AD for Academic Advising/Head Softball Coach
Tonja M. Braxton