Box Score
WASHINGTON (February 18, 2019) - The Howard University women's softball team defeated the University of Carolina Wilmington (UNCW), 12-11, on Saturday, February 16, at the UNCW Invitational marking their first win against a non-conference opponent since 2016.
Howard Softball head coach
Tori Tyson said of her team, "I have been a part of a lot of games, but the UNCW contest was truly one of the best thrillers. We got better, we learned to fight, and we learned how to win a one-run ball game. All of which helps us be better prepared for conference play."
The Bison opened the game early with a run in the first inning, before the Seahawks answered in the bottom half of the inning. Back-to-back RBI hits by
Kalita Dennis and
Camille Navarro gave the Bison a 3-1 lead in the fifth. After a homerun for the Seahawks cut the lead to 3-2, the Bison responded with three runs in the sixth inning.
Rajaa Wilcox and
Zaria Hall drove in the runs for Howard. UNCW cut the deficit to one run entering the seventh inning.
Both teams continued the offensive outpour in the seventh inning, with the Seahawks tying the game 10-10, after the frame. For the Bison,
Xzarria Simmons, Jacqueline Jones and
Sienna Herrera each recorded RBI hits in the inning.
Dennis drove in
Trinity Gibbs in the eighth inning before the Seahawks responded with a run. The Bison scored the game's final run in the 10th inning when an RBI double by Navarro scored Breanna Williams.
At the plate, the Bison scored their 12 runs on 13 hits. Gibbs, Dennis, Navarro and Wilcox each experienced multi-hit games. Dennis and Navarro maintained a strong offensive week, batting .400 and .440, respectively.
Pitcher
Mackenzi Steele earned her second win of the season, tossing 9.2 frames for the Bison. She fanned eight while walking just one batter.
Defeating UNCW, the Bison beat a team with an impressive resume on the season. The Seahawks earned victories earlier this season against Big 12 opponent Iowa State University and Southern Conference defending champion, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG).
The win for the Bison on Saturday represented their lone victory in the UNCW Invitational. They lost both of their games on Friday, with an 8-0 defeat to the University of Rhode Island and a 10-3 defeat to UNCW. Howard also lost a pair of games to Radford University.
In each of their losses, the Bison struggled as a team to finish one inning, which pushed the game out of reach. Steele and Tracey Mosley carried much of the load, pitching a 34 innings over the weekend.
Overall, the extra-inning victory remains the highlight of the UNCW Invitational for the Bison. Coach Tyson added, "I'm impressed with our growth this weekend. Despite the youthfulness of our squad and lack of fall practice, the strides made from opening weekend to this week alone has shown our ability to compete and develop, even when faced with adversity."
The Bison are now 2-7 this season. They travel to Montgomery, Alabama next for the Black and Gold Tournament against Alabama State University held February 22-24.
About Howard University Athletics
The Howard University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics sponsors 19 NCAA Division I men and women varsity sports. The programs represent six conferences: the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association (CCSA), Sun Belt Conference, Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) and Atlantic Sun (ASUN) Conference. Visit www.hubison.com to learn more.
