(Photo Courtesy of Hampton Athletics)
HONOLULU, Hawaii – The Hampton University softball team opened the 2014 season on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday in the Hawaii Paradise Classic, picking up a win against Delaware in the five games the Lady Pirates played.
Freshmen Danielle Budden (Jackson, N.J.) and Taylor Clark (Queen Creek, Ariz.) were each named to the All-Tournament Team.
The Lady Pirates (1-4) beat Delaware 7-2 on Friday, after opening the tournament on Thursday with a 2-0 loss to host Hawaii. Hampton also fell 17-0 to nationally-ranked UCLA on Friday, before Saturday saw the Lady Pirates fall 9-1 to Hawaii and 5-2 to Delaware.
Hampton struck early in Friday’s game against Delaware, as Budden hit her first career home run, a solo shot to center field, before Clark singled home sophomore Taylor McCoy (Riverview, Fla.) to put the Lady Pirates up 2-0.
Delaware scored a run in the bottom of the first, before the Lady Pirates pushed across five runs in the top of the second inning. Budden started the scoring with a two-run double to left-center field, before McCoy and Clark each hit RBI singles to give the Lady Pirates a 7-1 lead.
Delaware scored again in the seventh, but junior Jailynn Jackson (Virginia Beach, Va.) only gave up two runs and seven hits against the Blue Hens.
Budden was 4-for-4 at the plate with three RBIs in that game.
When the Lady Pirates and Blue Hens met again on Saturday, Hampton took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning after an RBI single from redshirt-sophomore Raenelle Taylor (Aquasco, Md.) and a bases-loaded walk to sophomore Diamond Ponds (Riverside, Calif.).
But the Blue Hens answered with four runs in the top of the third, before adding a run in the top of the sixth.
Thursday’s opener against Hawaii was a pitchers’ duel, and the game was scoreless heading into the bottom of the sixth inning before Hawaii scored on a two-run home run. Jackson, the reigning MEAC Pitcher of the Year, fanned five batters in her season debut and only gave up two hits.
The Lady Pirates had three hits in that game.
Hawaii jumped out early in Saturday’s rematch, scoring twice in the first inning, four times in the third inning, and three times in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a 9-0 lead.
The Lady Pirates got on the board in the top of the fifth inning, thanks to an RBI single from redshirt-junior Margaret Wilkins (Tustin, Calif.) to cut the lead to 9-1.
Hawaii held the Lady Pirates to two hits in Saturday’s contest.
The Lady Pirates will be in Montgomery, Ala. on Friday and Saturday to compete in the Alabama State Tournament. For more information on Hampton University softball, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.
