Senior Day Photo Gallery

NORFOLK, Va. – Senior Megan Przeslawski pitched a solid game on Senior Day, and a pair of freshmen also came through at the plate as the Norfolk State softball team downed Hampton by a 5-1 score on Sunday afternoon.
 
The Spartans won the weekend series with the Lady Pirates thanks to game 3's win at the NSU Softball Field. It also marked Norfolk State's regular season finale and last game ever between NSU and Hampton as MEAC foes.
 
The Spartans kept their hopes alive for a berth in the MEAC tournament. They improved to 21-29 overall and 10-8 in the league. NSU can advance to the tournament with a loss by Coppin State to Howard on Wednesday or with a sweep by either Hampton or Delaware State against the other next weekend.
 
Hampton fell to 9-6 in the MEAC and 20-24 overall following Sunday's loss.
 
Przeslawski (2-3) pitched 5+ innings and gave up six hits and just one earned run. Junior Shannon Buffington earned the save after not allowing a hit in the last two innings of the game.
 
A pair of newcomers also came through for the Spartans. Freshmen Tuli Iosefa and Jade Dixon each had two-run doubles as part of a nine-hit barrage. Dixon hit 2-for-3 on the day, while senior Jaylene Pryor batted 2-for-2 and scored twice.
 
Iosefa's double came in the bottom of the third and broke a 1-1 tie. The Pirates had scored a run in the top of the frame on an RBI single, but Moriarty walked and junior Kylee Lopez singled in NSU's half of the inning. Pryor singled home one run, and Iosefa followed with her shot to left center field gap for a 3-1 lead.
 
Two innings later, the Spartans loaded the bases, including a pair of walks issued to Pryor and Iosefa. Dixon dropped one into shallow left center that was just out of the reach of HU left fielder Cassidy Blackwell. Two runs came home on the play for what ended up being the final four-run margin.
 
Buffington entered in the sixth after Przeslawski gave up a pair of hits to start the inning. She retired six of the seven batters she faced over the next two innings – the only runner to reach base got on via an error – to close out the regular season.
 
Lopez also had a pair of hits on the day.
 
Allyson Babinsack (11-13) took the loss after allowing eight hits and five earned runs in 4.2 innings of work.
 
Hampton and Delaware State will play this Friday and Saturday in a series that was postponed from earlier this year.