DOVER, DE --- The Howard softball team (14-27, 8-10 MEAC) ended its 2015 regular season in less than ideal fashion, falling to the Delaware State Lady Hornets (17-21, 11-4 MEAC) in a three-game Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) series sweep this past weekend.


APRIL 25
Howard 6, DSU 13

HU used small ball to get on the board in the first inning, scoring a pair of runs on a couple of singles by sophomores Imani Ballard and Deja Henderson. Delaware State also drove in runs on two singles but exceeded Howard's run total thanks to a two-run single in addition to a two-out solo RBI.

Junior Janessa Flynn started the game at pitcher for the Lady Bison and tied the game at 3-3 with another RBI single that brought in senior Briana Banks.

A single by senior Jenny Ly, a based loaded walk of redshirt junior Jasmine Gammons and a Henderson sacrifice fly gave Howard a 6-3 lead by the bottom of the fourth inning but after that surge, the Lady Bison bats went cold.

From the fifth to the seventh innings, Howard produced only one hit and stranded four runners on base while the Lady Hornets scored 10 unanswered runs - six in the bottom of the fourth and four in the bottom of the sixth.

Howard 7, DSU 12

Again, Howard grabbed control of the game then allowed it to slip away. After giving up two runs in the first inning to DSU, Howard responded in a major way - with junior Al'Asia Davis belting a grand slam to right field with two outs in the top of the second.

A third inning Lady Hornet sacrifice fly cut HU's lead down to one (4-3) but another six-run outburst in the fourth gave Delaware State the lead for good.

Gammons and sophomore Milan Poindexter pulled the Lady Bison to within two (9-7) in the fifth after Gammons hit a two-run double and Poindexter singled to center for another RBI. However, it would be as close as Howard would get, as DSU added three runs over their final two innings to secure the doubleheader.

APRIL 26
Howard 0, DSU 4

Despite outhitting Delaware State, 9-8, Howard ultimately could never get into a rhythm and match DSU's scoring. The Lady Bison left eight runners on base during the game en route to being shut out for the seventh time this season. 

TOP SERIES PERFORMERS
- Henderson: 7-for-10 (.700), 2 R, 2B, 2 RBI
- Davis: 4-for-10 (.400), 3 R, GS, 4 RBI, BB, HBP

NEXT UP: Losing its final three games put a hold on the Lady Bison's ability to clinch the Northern Division's 4-seed in the upcoming MEAC Tournament (May 7-9 in Ormond Beach, Florida). Howard finished the season with an 8-10 conference record and currently sit in fourth place in the Division but will need fifth place Morgan State (6-8 MEAC) not to sweep its final MEAC series against Coppin State.