Howard Splits With Delaware State

Washington, DC-April 9, 2007-Fallon Jones delivered a clutch two-run double in the bottom of the eighth inning to give Howard University a 7-6 win over Delaware State University in the second game of a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference women's softball game at Banneker Stadium.  The Hornets (11-21 overall, 4-1 in the MEAC) won the first game on a two-run homer by Shannon Sams in the top of the seventh inning.

            Howard appeared to be in good shape after taking a 5-3 lead into the top of the seventh inning.  Freshman Christina McCoy settled down after allowing three runs in the first three innings and held the visitors hitless and scoreless headed into the top of the seventh.

            But Nicole Demers led off with a double and Sam Snow followed with a two-run blast to left field that tied the score at 5-5.  The Bison (19-13 overall, 5-1 in the MEAC) failed to score in the bottom of the seventh, thus sending the contest into extra innings.

            The Hornets appeared to have the momentum when Sha Tabor scored following a Howard error.

            Delaware State threatened to add insurance runs but McCoy, who is growing more and more confident each game, pitched her way out of a potential jam and allowed no more runs.

            That set up the Bison rally.  First baseman Jenifer Bien-Aime opened with a double.  Third baseman Kristina Cordova was intentionally walked.  Second baseman Brianne Gutierrez laid down a beautiful bunt to load the bases.  That set up Jones, who lined a streamer right up the middle that rolled to the fence as two runs crossed the plate, giving Howard the dramatic win.

            "Fallon really came through when we needed her," said Howard Coach Tonja Braxton.  "It was a big win for us, especially after the loss in the first game.  I think that as important as it was for us to win, it was even more important that Christina hung in there and went the distance.  She was in trouble at times but she hung in there and toughed it out and that is huge for us."

            On the day, Jones went three-for-four and drove in four runs while Tracy Javier also collected three hits.  Freshman Courtney Young, Bien-Aime and Cordova all got two hits.  McCoy (7-5) scattered eight hits, walked two and struck out eight batters.

            The first game was well played.  Howard drew first blood in the bottom of the seventh, only to have Delaware State tie the score at 1-1.  The Hornets went up briefly until the Bison knotted the score at 2 in the bottom of the third.  From there, it was a combination of some fine pitching by Howard's ace Dale McNeal (11-8) and Delaware State's Meghan Wilson (4-10), who came on in relief in the third inning.

            The two teams went scoreless for three innings before Sams delivered a monster shot to deep right field that proved to be the game winner.

            "We made one bad pitch and it cost us," said Braxton.  "But even with that home run, we had our chances in the middle innings.  We made some base running mistakes and we left too many runners on.  We are the type of team that has to do everything right in order for us to compete for the championship.  Hopefully we learned that from the first game."

            The Bison will look to continue their streak when they host Maryland Eastern Shore on Wednesday in a doubleheader at Banneker that gets underway at 1 pm.

GAME NOTES:  Courtney Young went 3-for-6 and drove in two runs before leaving the second game with a hand injury...she will get and X-Ray so her status is questionable...loss in the first game defeat to Delaware State was Howard's first-ever triple play...shortstop Candice Tatum started it with a tag, followed by a flip to second baseman Gutierrez and ending with a throw to first baseman Bien Aime who completed it with one of her patented stretches....McCoy and Tracy Javier received honorable mention from the MEAC for their play during last week...Young currently rank second in the MEAC in hitting at .453.

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