HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University softball team will host a non-conference doubleheader against North Carolina A&T on Tuesday at the Lady Pirates Softball Stadium beginning at 2 p.m.
 
The Lady Pirates (19-18) have won four straight games and six of their last eight.
 
Tuesday's games will end a string of 10 straight home contests for the Lady Pirates. Hampton swept Maryland Eastern Shore this past weekend, including a doubleheader sweep on Friday in front of a national ESPNU audience.
 
Junior Margaret Wilkins (Tustin, Calif.) was named MEAC Player of the Week, while junior Jailynn Jackson (Virginia Beach, Va.) earned MEAC Pitcher of the Week honors and freshman Kayla DeSchepper (Lakewood, Colo.) was named MEAC Rookie of the Week.
 
Hampton is currently in third place in the MEAC Northern Division behind Delaware State and Norfolk State.
 
North Carolina A&T (14-22) has lost five straight games after being swept in three games by Bethune-Cookman this past weekend. The Lady Aggies are in third place in the MEAC Southern Division behind Bethune-Cookman and Savannah State.
 
The Lady Pirates are in their first season under interim head coach Michael Pelegrino, who was an assistant coach last season as Hampton won 34 games, taking the MEAC Northern Division regular-season title and winning its first MEAC Tournament crown since 1996.
 
Hampton was picked to finish second in the MEAC Northern Division this season.
 
Jackson, the MEAC Preseason Pitcher of the Year, was a large part of last season's success, earning MEAC Pitcher of the Year honors after winning 26 games for the Lady Pirates and striking out a MEAC-best (and school-record) 255 batters in 252.0 innings pitched.
 
She was also an NFCA Second Team All-Region selection and a Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) Second Team All-State honoree. Jackson led the MEAC in wins, ERA (2.64), and strikeouts last season, while setting school records in innings pitched, appearances, and starts.
 
So far this season, Jackson is 13-10 with a 2.74 ERA and 99 strikeouts.
 
The Lady Pirates return seven letterwinners and five starters (as well as two pitchers) from last season's squad, including Wilkins, who was named First Team All-MEAC last season after hitting .343 with six home runs and 32 RBIs.
 
She tied for second in the MEAC with 49 runs scored last season, and Wilkins was also third in the conference in hits, fifth in total bases, seventh in doubles, and tied for eighth in the home runs.
 
So far this season, Wilkins leads the team with a .398 batting average, and she is tied for the team lead with 24 RBIs. Freshman Danielle Budden (Jackson, N.J.) is second on the team with a .339 batting average, and she leads the team with four home runs.
 
The Lady Pirates are 21-16 all-time against North Carolina A&T, including a 6-3 win in the opening round of the MEAC Tournament last season. Prior to last season's win, the Lady Aggies had won each of the last three meetings.
 
For more information on Hampton University softball, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.