April 15, 2007

Box Score

LEXINGTON, S.C. - Sophomore Kendra Saunders hit a grand slam against Norfolk State (NSU) this afternoon but it was not enough to lift the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) over the Spartans on the final day of the MEAC Softball Roundup. The Lady Hawks fell 15-6 to NSU and later dropped a 12-3 decision to North Carolina A&T (NCAT) to finish 0-5 at the three day round robin event.

Norfolk State took a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning before UMES closed the deficit to a run when Shadawn Paige's sacrifice fly scored Saunders in the next stanza.

NSU plated another batter in the bottom of the second and extended its lead to 3-1 before the Hawks loaded the bases with two runs out in the third. Saunders then hit her first career grand slam, her second home run in as many days, to put the maroon and gray ahead 5-3.

The Spartans regained the lead in the fourth when two different batters homered to cap a six run stanza for Norfolk State. Jaleesa Lewis plated a run for the Hawks in the fifth but it was not enough as NSU scored six runs in the next two innings to end the game at 15-6.

Saunders finished 3-3 with two runs and a game high five RBI while Lewis went 2-4 with two runs. Brooke Downey and Mishayla Truttman each finished 1-2 with one run.

In the contest against the Lady Aggies, Tiana Strother had her first career home run, a two-run bomb to center field, to tie things up at 2-2 in the third inning.

NCAT opened the floodgates in the bottom third, however, and scored eight runs on seven hits. Saunders drove in the last run for UMES in the fifth after her center field single sent Lewis across the plate.

Lewis and Strother each finished 1-2 with one run. Saunders had one hit and one RBI while Strother picked up a pair of RBI.

The Lady Hawks (2-24, 0-10 MEAC) will return to action on Wednesday when they host the Spartans in a non-conference doubleheader beginning at 1:00pm.