PRINCESS ANNE, Md. -- After a tough MEAC season, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore softball team has secured the final spot in the 2024 MEAC Softball Tournament next week in Norfolk. 

The final spot came down to the final game last weekend with the Hawks taking on the Delaware State Hornets. DSU came into the weekend with a one game advantage in the standings. After UMES took game one on Saturday, 7-3, the teams became tied. The Hornets were able to escape the day with the doubleheader split, 9-7, in game two to retake the lead by one game.

So it came down to the final game on Sunday when the Hawks honored its three seniors: Kelsie Ekstrom, Ryan Merriwether, and Ameenah Ballenger. The Hawks jumped on the board early with a pair of runs in both the first and second innings to take the 4-0 lead. The Hornets were able to plate one run in the top of the third before the defenses settled in with neither team sending more than five players to the plate in any inning the rest of the way as UMES secured the game three win 4-1. 

It moved the teams back into a tie for sixth in the final conference standings at 5-16. With only the top six earning spots in the MEAC Tournament, it would come down to tiebreakers. With just two teams tied, the first tiebreaker is the head-to-head record against each other. By virtue of the 2-1 series win, the Hawks claimed the final spot, with a chance to continue their season.

The 2024 MEAC Tournament will take place next week, May 8-11 on the campus of Norfolk State. Morgan State claimed the top seed with an 18-3 record while Howard finished with a 16-5 record, good enough for the No. 2 seed. Coppin State earned the No. 3 seed with a 15-6 MEAC record while NC Central (14-7) and SC State (8-13) will be the No. 4 and 5 seeds, respectively.

The top two teams earned byes in the first round of the double elimination bracket. The Hawks will take on Coppin State in their first game on Wednesday, May 8 at 12 p.m. Below you can find the full tournament bracket. 

WEDNESDAY, MAY 8, 2024
Game 1: No. 4 NC Central vs. No. 5 SC State - 9 AM
Game 2: No. 3 Coppin State vs. No. 6 UMES - 12 PM
Game 3: No. 1 Morgan State vs. Winner of Game 1 - 3 PM
Game 4: No. 2 Howard vs. Winner of Game 2 - 6 PM

THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2024
Game 5: Loser Game 2 vs. Loser Game 3 - 12 PM
Game 6: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 4 - 3 PM
Game 7: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4 - 6 PM

FRIDAY, MAY 10, 2024
Game 8: Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6 - 12 PM
Game 9: Loser Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8 - 3 PM

SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2024
Game 10 (Championship Game): Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 9 - 12 PM
Game 11 (if necessary): Winner Game 10 vs. Loser Game 10 - 3 PM