NORFOLK, Va. (May 12, 2023) – No. 4 Howard University softball team kept its championship hopes live after knocking out No. 6 Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Tournament, 5-1, at NSU Softball Field.
 
With the victory, HU (20-25) eliminated the Hawks while securing its 20^th win of the season.
 
Second-year Bison Mia Gonzales (Atwater, Calif.) set the tone for HU, facing 22 batters in 6.1 innings with a pair of strikeouts in the victory.
 
Gonzales and UMES' starting pitcher Ameenah Ballenger were in a pitching duel early on, allowing no runs through four innings of play.
 
Bottom five, MEAC batting champion sophomore Sidney Fletcher (Whittier, Calif.) delivered the first blow with a two-run single down the left field line and giving the Bison a 2-0 edge.
 
Fellow classmate Victoria Brown (Carson, Calif.) drove in two more runs moments later, bringing home Fletcher and rookie Maryn Jordan (San Diego), 4-0.
 
Graduate Kalita Dennis (Elk Grove, Calif.) added an insurance run next inning with a shot up-the-middle, scoring newcomer Makaela Digaudio (Corona, Calif.), 5-0.
 
Down, but not out, Maryland Eastern Shore made one final charge, scoring on a fielding error in the seventh, 5-1.
 
All-MEAC First Team selection freshman Amelia Weber (Montclair, Calif.) entered in relief after an outstanding pitching performance by Gonzalez. The rookie stopped UMES' comeback bid, picking up the two-out save for HU.
 
Offensively, Howard manufactured five runs on 11 hits, led by All-MEAC honoree sophomore Alyssa Vasquez (Downey, Calif.) going 3-of-4 with a run scored.
 
For UMES (14-30), they saw its Cinderella run come to a halt after advancing for the first time since 1995. Ballenger threw 4.2 innings while allowing four earned runs in the loss.
 
Next up, HU faces No. 5 Coppin State with a trip to the MEAC Title game on the line. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. at NSU Softball Field.
 
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.