Carolynn Howard struckout five and scored the game winner on Saturday.
HAMPTON, Va. (March 17, 2007)-Carolynn Howard threw a game-high five strikeouts in three innings of work, went 1-for-1 at the plate and scored the game wining run to lead Morgan State to a 2-1 non-conference victory over North Carolina Central in the opening round of the Hampton Softball Tournament on Saturday afternoon at Lady Pirates Field.
North Carolina Central (8-5), who entered the weekend averaging 10.3 runs per game, having scored 120 runs and surrendering 46 runs in their first 16 contests, was limited to just four hits. Morgan’s pitching trio of Porsche Boddicker (two innings, two strikeouts), Karlana Ingram (two innings, one strikeout) and Howard combined to hold the Lady Eagles’ power hitters in check, recording a total of eight strikeouts, while walking two batters. Howard improved to 2-2 on the season with the win.
NCCU struck first in the first inning when Miche Ishida was hit by a pitch by Boddicker with two outs. Des Franklin then doubled to right center to score Ishida and put the Lady Eagles in front.
Morgan State (3-6) countered in the bottom of the second inning, when Ashley Vasquez doubled down the right line and then advanced to third on a passed ball to begin the inning. Megan Jimenez followed with a RBI double to tie the score at a run apiece, but was thrown out at third.
After two scoreless innings, the Lady Bears offense came to life again in the fifth inning. Howard led off with a double to left center and advanced to third on a throwing error. Howard would later score on a wild pitch to give the Lady Bears the lead and the 2-1 victory.
The Lady Bears will face host Hampton in a winner’s bracket game on Sunday. The Lady Pirates tallied a 12-1 opening round victory over Winston-Salem State.
