NORFOLK, Va. (May 15, 2022) – Morgan State's historical 2022 softball season came to an end on Saturday evening in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) title game, following a 5-4 loss to rival Howard in Game 2 of the softball championship at NSU Softball Field.
 
The loss prevented the top-seeded Lady Bears from claiming the program's second MEAC championship and earning back-to-back titles and returning to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in program history. It was only the third time this season that Morgan State dropped consecutive games to the same opponent and was just the second doubleheader loss all season.
 
Morgan State (31-15) began the season dropping a doubleheader to Providence in the Elon Tournament (2/19), then lost the final two games in the regular season series against Howard on separate days (4/2-3), before concluding the season with the doubleheader loss to the Bison.
 
Meanwhile, the second-seeded Bison (31-22), who won the school's second championship and first since 2007, earned the MEAC's automatic bid into the NCAA Softball Tournament and will find out where they play next when the 64-team field is revealed on Sunday at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.
 
A changing point in the game, very well could have come in the bottom of the sixth with the game evened up at 4-4. After Howard's Jade Greene doubled to left center with one out, Camille Navarro followed with a single hit to Morgan State's Katariina Delph at shortstop. On video replay it appeared as if Greene, while running to third made contact with Delph, preventing her from fielding the ball. After further discussions, the call would stand and Howard had runners on the corners with one out.
 
Navarro would steal second and Lealani Ricks eventually singled back to pitcher allowing the questionable Greene to score what would be the winning run, giving the Bison a 5-4 lead.
 
After seeing Howard pitcher De La Roca all seven innings in the opening game and being held to just three hits, Morgan State, now playing as the visiting team, came out in the first inning and seemed to have figured her out and was more patient in their approach at the plate in Game 2.
 
Victoria Fletcher singled to pitcher to score Asia Thomas and Tayven Rousseau also scored on the play from a throwing error on De La Roca to give Morgan the 2-0 lead.
 
The Bison cut the lead in half in the bottom half of the first, when Xzarria Simmons singled down the left field line to score Ricks to make it a 2-1 score.
 
Howard took the lead in the third inning taking advantage of three Morgan State errors. A throwing error allowed Ricks to reach base and advance all the way to third, while Navarro scored from first to tie the score at 2-2. The Bison took the 3-2 lead on the next play when Kalita Dennis singled through the left side to score Ricks.
 
The defending champions were not done yet, as Melissa Paz would hit a two-run homer to left field to put Morgan State back in front, 5-4 in the top of the fifth.
 
The lead was short-lived, as Howard had bases loaded once Alyssa Vasquez was intentionally walked and Simmons laid down a bunt to score Ricks from third, tying the score at 5-5.
 
Paz finished the game going 2-for-4 with a team-high 2RBIs and a run scored. Fletcher also went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Paz and Fletcher would be named to the all-tournament team.
 
Howard was led by Simmons, who was 3-for-3 with 2RBIs. Dennis also had three hits and Ricks finished 2-for-4 with a game-high three runs and an RBI. De La Roca (15-7), who pitched all 14 innings on Championship Saturday, was named the tournament's Outstanding Performer.
 
 
Morgan State concluded the season setting the school record for wins in a season at 31 and most MEAC victories in a season at 18. The program recorded the school's first-ever perfect game, while Anaya Hunte also recorded her first-career no-hitter and set the school mark for strikeouts with 16 all in the same game in a win at Delaware State. During the season, Paz was ranked as high as second in the nation in ERA.
 
Prior to today's Game 1 loss to Howard, the Lady Bears had won a season-high 16 consecutive games, which was the second longest active winning streak in the nation in Division I.
 
2022 MEAC All-Tournament Team
Analise De La Roca, Howard
Alyssa Vasquez, Howard
Camille Navarro, Howard
Kalita Dennis, Howard
Melissa Paz, Morgan State
Victoria Fletcher, Morgan State
Tuli Iosefa, Norfolk State
Madison Mifsud, North Carolina Central
Jaden Davis, North Carolina Central
Vanessa Carrizosa, Coppin State
Tatum Kresley, Maryland Eastern Shore
Outstanding Performer: Analise De La Roca, Howard
Outstanding Coach: Tori Tyson, Howard


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ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering nearly 140 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.