NORFOLK, VA --- Over the weekend, the Howard softball team took a step back in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) standings after being swept in its three-game series against division rival Norfolk State in Virginia.
GAME 1 (Sat): HU 1, NSU 9GAME 2: (Sat): HU 2, NSU 7GAME 3 (Sun): HU 5, NSU 8Best Series Performances- In Game 1, Howard fell behind big early, allowing five runs by the third fourth inning - including four in the first inning alone. The Lady Bison got on the board in the top of the fourth as junior
Janessa Flynn helped her own pitching cause by hitting a two-out RBI single to center to bring senior
Briana Banks across the plate. NSU would score two in both the fourth and fifth to end the game early.
- In Game 2, it would be another pitcher that would do the offensive damage for the Lady Bison. Sophomore
Alex Flynn officially went hitless in three at-bats but put Howard ahead 1-0 in the third with a sacrifice ground out and tied the contest at 2-2 by reaching base on a fielding error and helping Gammons come home. However, a combined five-run bottom of the fifth put the game out of reach.
- In Sunday's Game 3, Howard seemed to figure out the Lady Spartans and led for much of the game. Afte failing behind 1-0 after two, HU scored two in the top of the third after forcing a passed ball and throwing error. NSU would briefly tie the game at 2-2 in the bottom half but the Lady Bison scored another couple of runs in the fourth on a two-run home run by Gammons, making the score 4-2. Norfolk State knotted the match again at 4-4 with one run in the next half-inning, but once again Howard would respond with a RBI single by sophomore
Imani Ballard to go up 5-4. Unfortunately, another large inning in as many games doomed Howard; NSU managed to bring home four runs in the sixth to seize control of the game and eventually sweep the series.
NEXT UP: Howard welcomes Coppin State to DC for a three-game weekend series from April 3-4. The teams will play a single game on Friday 4/3 and a doubleheader on 4/4.
