WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Howard University softball team won game one against Morgan State University Saturday, 5-4, in extra innings to snap MSU eight-game conference winning streak. But HU's run ended there as it dropped game two 7-2 in a MEAC Conference North Division showdown at Nationals Youth Park.
The Bison (10-11, 3-7 MEAC) scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to snatch a 5-4 victory from the grasp of the Lady Bears (12-8, 9-1 MEAC) who scored a run in the top of the ninth.
How it happened
GAME 1 | W, 5-4(9)
Morgan St. jumped out to a 1-0 lead off a D. Charles RBI single to left field.
Howard answered back with a run in the second and third inning to take the lead, 2-1. Camille Navarro ripped the first pitch she faced in the bottom of the third inning over the left-field wall to give the Bison the 2-1 lead.
The Lady Bears added two runs in the top of the fourth and fifth inning to regain a 4-3 advantage. The Bison tied the game on a Natalie Davila RBI single, plating Kalita Dennis.
Both teams remained scoreless over the next three innings, taking the contest into extra innings. MSU opened the inning with a single to third base, the runner later scored on a double, to take a 4-3 lead. The next two batters were retired.
The Bison lead-off batter grounded out to the pitcher when Camile Navarro smashed her second home run over the left-center-field wall to tie the game. Neveah Castruita would record a bunt single that hovered on the foul line to put the game-winning run on first base. Kalita Dennis advances the runner on a hard hit single down the right-field line to put the runner in scoring position. Davila took the first pitch down the right-field line for an RBI single to steal the victory, 5-4.
Kalita Dennis and Trinity Jones each recorded a double. Five different Bison recorded multiple hits, Navarro (2), Castruita (2), Dennis (2), Davila (3), Gibbs (2).
Navarro recorded her first career home run in the bottom of the third inning and knocked her second career home run to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth.
Howard recorded 13 hits, five runs, and five RBIs.
Sydney Hixenbaugh got the nod in the circle, pitched two innings, giving up four hits, and one run in a no-decision. Tracey Mosley pitched 2.1 innings giving up three hits and an earned run, striking out two. Kianna Carr finished the game pitching 4.2 innings, giving up four hits and an earned run, striking out three for her sixth victory of the season.
The Bison snapped the Lady Bears' six-game winning streak and handed Morgan State their first loss in conference play.
GAME 2 | L 7-2
Howard couldn't carry the momentum from game one, falling to the Lady Bears 7-2 in game two.
MSU knocked back-to-back triples and a single to take the lea, 2-0. The Lady Bears added a run in the next three-stanza and two runs in the sixth inning to outpace the Bison.
Bison scored a run in the third and fourth inning.
MSU held Howard to five hits. Davila was the lone Bison to record two hits.
Hixenbaugh (L, 1-5) pitched 2.2 innings, giving up two runs and four hits. Tracy Mosley also pitched 2.2 innings giving up two hits and four hits. Kianna Carr closed the contest pitching 1.2 innings giving up two earned runs and three hits.
Head Coach Tori Tyson thoughts:
on today's game:
"...I thought that we competed really well in both and I just thought that, again, being with a young inexperienced group. We're learning how to finish the day but that's a really good win against a good team and I thought we played a really, really excellent game of softball and advancing runner so I was proud of the group and I feel good about us just progressing. That's all you can really ask, especially coming off of the break we had and still doing this with a couple starters still out. I'm proud of this group..."
on pitching staff:
"...We forget like Sidney Hixenbaugh. She's never pitching in the MEAC. So these are second and third games and I think that, again, she came up against an undefeated team and I really have them working as a unit I thought that they did a good job of handing the ball off in that first game, and I thought the second game, to be honest there's no errors on the scoreboard, but I think defensively we made a lot of mental errors that you can't do that when you're seeing the same hitters, this many times..."
UP NEXT:
Howard will conclude their homestand against Morgan St. in a doubleheader. The Bison will celebrate their two seniors Trinity Gibbs and Grad Transfer Kiana Carr. The first pitch is slate will be determined tomorrow morning after the anticipated bad weather in the region.
