ORMOND BEACH, Fla. – With a 5-4 win over North Carolina A&T on Thursday afternoon, the Hampton University softball team kept its season alive, advancing in the elimination bracket of the 2016 MEAC Championships at the Ormond Beach Softball Complex.
 
The Lady Pirates (20-27) will face either Savannah State or Florida A&M on Saturday at 10 a.m.
 
Hampton struck first in the top of the first inning; after senior Diamond Ponds led off the inning with a single and freshman Hope Sobelewski reached on a fielder's choice, senior Taylor McCoy drove in Ponds with a single.
 
Sobelewski later scored on a sac fly from sophomore Jada Fields to give Hampton a 2-0 lead.
 
The Aggies, the No. 4 seed in the Southern Division, answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning, before adding another run in the bottom of the second to take a 4-2 lead.
 
Hampton began the comeback in the top of the fourth, starting with a leadoff double from junior Kayla DeSchepper. She later advanced on a groundout before sophomore Lorena Alvarez singled her home to cut the lead to 4-3.
 
Sobelewski walked in the top of the fifth and advanced to second on a wild pitch. McCoy then doubled her home to tie the game at 4-4.
 
Leading off the top of the seventh, Sobelewski was hit by a pitch. Though the ensuing batter, McCoy, was thrown out on a play from left field to the pitcher to the shortstop after lining the ball down the line, Sobelewski scored on the play to give the Lady Pirates a 5-4 lead.
 
Freshman Allie Hotetz set down the Aggies in order in the bottom of the seventh, a frame in which both Ponds and Sobelewski made impressive catches in the outfield – including a diving effort from Sobelewski to end the game.
 
McCoy went 3-for-4 at the plate, driving in a team-high three runs. Ponds, DeSchepper, and freshman Sarah Kollas each had two hits.
 
Hotetz worked 5.2 innings of relief to pick up her 12th win of the season, giving up just three hits.
 
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.