HOWARD ELIMINATES HAMPTON, ADVANCES IN MEAC TOURNEY Sahar Abdur-Rashid 05/13/10 Ormond Beach, Fla., May 13, 2010- Hampton was eliminated from the 2010 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Softball Championship on Thursday afternoon, falling 8-4 to Howard at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. The Lady Pirates finished the season with a 21-38 record, while Howard (25-21) will meet loser of the North Carolina A&T/South Carolina State game. Howard struck first with two runs in the top of the first inning, when Aisha Ledet doubled home a run and another run came in on a single from Nicole Saez. Hampton answered in the bottom of the inning with two runs of its own to tie the game at 2-2. Sophomore Kelsei Saunders, a First Team All-MEAC selection for the second straight year, drove in a run with a single down the left field line, before sophomore Sharde’ Estep brought in another run with a sacrifice fly. Howard regained the lead, 3-2, in the third inning on an RBI single from Rebecca Kirshner, but the Lady Pirates tied the game again in the bottom of the frame on another RBI single from Saunders. The Lady Bison took a 4-3 lead in the top of the sixth on an RBI single from Emily Johnson. Howard added four more runs in the top of the seventh inning. Ciera Gordon got things started with a sacrifice fly to bring in the first run, before Johnson brought in two more runs when she reached on an error. Trina Kindred brought in the last run with a single to second base. Sophomore Travonna Byrd doubled home a run in the bottom of the inning to push the game to its final margin. Saunders, Byrd and freshman Nina Ferguson each had two hits for the Lady Pirates. Senior Jada Jeffries went the distance on the mound, giving up only one earned run and 13 hits. Admission for the 2010 MEAC Softball Championship is $5 for youth, students and seniors. Discounted ticket packages for all three days can be purchased for $12.