WASHINGTON, DC --- Behind a combined five home runs and 18 runs scored, the Howard softball swept the Morgan State Lady Bears in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) doubleheader action Friday afternoon at Banneker Recreation Center. The Lady Bison won Game 1 of the twin bill 7-5 and took Game 2, 11-7.

With the victories, Howard improved to 4-30 (3-11 MEAC) while Morgan State fell to 3-19 (0-10 MEAC).

GAME 1: HOWARD 7, MORGAN 5
Howard pitcher Alex Flynn struggled out of the gate. After allowing a leadoff single, Flynn gave up a two-out, two-run homer to Morgan's Zina Constancia to give MSU a 2-0 first inning lead.

The Lady Bison side would be retired in the bottom of the first, and Flynn would then give up back-to-back home runs to Kate Vosper and Nicole VanDenBerg to begin the second inning, giving the Lady Bears a 4-0 advantage.

HU negated those last two runs at the bottom of the inning as junior Jenny Ly sent a two-run home run over the left field wall and over the outstretched arm of VanDenBerg to cut Morgan's lead to 4-2.

Flynn would help her own cause in the third and fourth innings. The pitcher would single to start the third, steal second base, advance to third on an Imani Ballard single, and score on a infield throwing error, bringing the Lady Bison within one run, 4-3. In the fourth, Flynn hit a two-run double to give Howard its first lead of the game at 5-4.

Ballard gave HU some cushion in the sixth after blasting a two-run home run of her own to put the Lady Bison up, 7-4. Morgan would add a two-out RBI single in the seventh but their rally stalled with their next batter.

Howard's seven runs were the most scored in any game this season and their 11 hits were the second-most the team had in a game - HU had 12 hits twice at Hampton on April 12-13. Six players logged hits, paced by Flynn, who went 3-for-4 with a RBI and two runs scored. Ballard (2-for-3) and Ly (1-for-2) combined for four RBI with their pair of two-run homers, while sophomores Jasmine Gammons and Sade Estes each went 2-for-3 and sophomore Dominique Lawrence went 1-for-3.

Flynn earned the win by striking out a season-best five batters while allowing five runs and 12 hits in a seven inning complete game.

GAME 2: HOWARD 11, MORGAN 7
Howard carried their first game momentum into the second contest by scoring 11 runs and getting 14 hits, topping their season high for runs (7) set earlier in the day and hits (12) set last week.

HU opened the scoring in the first with a pair of RBI singles by Ballard and Gammons to take a 2-0 edge.

Morgan would split Howard's lead in the top of the third on a RBI single by Constancia but the Lady Bison bounced back in the bottom of the frame with three runs to go up 5-1. Lawrence batted third in the inning and hit a two-run homer, followed by a solo home run by Gammons right after.

The fourth inning alone saw Howard score five runs to swell its lead to 10-1. Six straight Lady Bison batters reached base before recording an out, with Lawrence and Gammons both hitting two-run RBI doubles. Junior Al'Asia Davis brought home Gammons with a sacrifice before a pop out ended the inning.

Morgan fought back, scoring two runs in both the fifth (back-to-back solo home runs) and sixth (RBI single, double) innings to make the score 10-5.

Gammons would add another solo homer as the leadoff batter in the bottom of the sixth to put Howard up 11-5.

The Lady Bears would add two more runs in the top of the seventh but could muster no more.

Gammons led the Howard bats with the best performance of the season - a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate with two home runs, a double, five RBI and three runs scored. Ballard and Lawrence combined for five runs and five RBI while both going 3-for-4 on the day, including Lawrence's homer and double. Junior Briana Banks, sophomore Milan Poindexter, Estes and Ly recorded Howard's other hits.

Senior Ashley Turner also pitched a complete game in victory, striking out two and walking three while allowing seven runs (4 ER) and 13 hits.

Howard's 18 combined runs were the best the Lady Bison produced in any two-game stretch this season

The Lady Bison won consecutive games for the first time since defeating Morgan and Norfolk State on April 21 & 25, 2012. The pair of wins marked the first time Howard defeated the same opponent twice since sweeping a three game set with Maryland Eastern Shore on March 24-25, 2012.

Howard will look to sweep the series with Morgan - the team's first sweep since that 2012 UMES set - when the two teams play on Saturday, April 19 at 12 noon at Banneker.