NORFOLK, Virginia — The University of Maryland Eastern Shore softball team dropped a pair in its final action of the 2023 regular season on Saturday, April 29 by scores of 5-1 and 8-6, respectively.

The Hawks conclude their regular season at 13-28 overall and 8-10 in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play. Norfolk State finishes the campaign at 24-19 and 14-6 in MEAC play.

Game One: NSU 5, UMES 1

The Spartans struck first in game one, plating a pair of runs in the second. In the bottom half, Ah-Nayia Oglesby singled and stole second in response. Oglesby reached third, but the Hawks could not bring her home.

Norfolk struck again with three more runs in the fifth inning. Kelsie Ekstrom doubled and Ameenah Ballenger scored her with a base hit in the sixth, but the Spartans held the Hawk bats to the lone run to wrap the contest.

Ekstrom, Ballenger, Merriwether and Oglesby picked up singles in the game. Merriwether also drew a free pass, while Ballenger picked up the lone RBI.

Norfolk's Cam Andersen (10-4) got the win, going the distance while allowing the Hawks one run.

Katelyn Smitchko (6-13) was handed a tough loss after going the distance with two earned runs allowed and five strikeouts.

Game Two: NSU 8, UMES 6

The Hawks got on the board first in the second game of the day. Nola Mountain picked up a leadoff single and stole second before Ekstrom legged out a single to move her to third.

Ballenger followed with a base hit to center to score Mountain from third before the end of the frame. Norfolk responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the inning.

The second inning was a quiet one, but the UMES bats awoke again in the third. Jaycee Holt and Ekstrom each drew a walk to open the inning before Ballenger ripped a triple to right to wipe the bases clean and put the Hawks up 3-1.

The hosts did not wait to answer back, plating three in the bottom of the inning to go ahead by one. The Spartans added four more in the fifth, taking an 8-3 lead through five.

UMES put a rally together in the seventh. Morea Hodge opened with a pinch-hit single up the middle and Oglesby doubled to put two in scoring position.

Mountain turned a 1-2 count into an RBI-single, dropping one in to right to score Hodge. Mountain swiped second, and Holt picked up a base knock to bring Oglesby around the bases.

A sacrifice fly from Ballenger allowed Mountain to sprint home, but that was the final run the Hawks would push across as the Spartans escaped the late push.

Mountain and Ballenger each collected two hits in game two, with the former swiping two bags and the latter piling up four RBI's.

Norfolk's Alexis Robinson (11-4) earned the win, tossing 4.2 innings of relief and allowing three runs with three strikeouts.

Smitchko (6-14) was handed the loss, allowing eight runs in her second complete game effort of the day.

The Hawks sit in sixth in the MEAC standings following Saturday's action.