HAMPTON, Va. (April 2, 2026) … The Hampton Pirates softball team starts the month of April by hosting CAA South Division co-Leader UNCW for a three-game series. Friday the teams will play a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. and then game three will be Saturday at 2 p.m.

ABOUT HAMPTON
The Pirates return home after dropping two of three at N.C. A&T.
Carmynn Bonner leads the team in batting average (.413), hits (38), doubles (8), home runs (5), RBIs (23), slugging percentage (.663), on-base percentage (.456) and second in walk (9).
Violet Salazar follows her with a .344 average and is second in hits (31), doubles (6) and third in RBIs (14). She had her first home run of the season in Sunday's game at N.C. A&T.
On the mound, Ava Lester sports a 4-3 record and a 3.74 ERA with nine walks to 29 strikeouts in 43 innings of work. McKenzie Rimmer-Jones is 4-6 with a team-high 65.2 innings of work and a team-best 33 strikeouts.

PIRATE POINTERS - NCAA
Salazar is among the national leaders in toughest to strikeout having only two this season in 90 at bats to rank 14^th. She is also 12^th in assists per game having thrown out 2.77 runners per game from her shortstop position.

Ava Lester is in the top 80 nationally in walks allowed per seven innings (48^th/1.47) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (76^th/3.22).

RECORD BOOK WATCH
Senior Carmynn Bonner is making her presence felt across the Hampton University softball record book. Heading into the final month of the regular season, she's in several categories:

T9. Home Runs – 14
Next: 15 – Sharri Mapp, 1999-2002
T7. Triples – 10
Next: 12 – Regina Gibbons, 1996-99
3. Doubles – 43
Next: 48 – Camille Whitaker, 2003-06
6. Hits – 182
Next: 193 – Erika Cotton, 1997-2002
9. Starts – 168
Next: 173, Adrianna Scott, 2010-2013
8. Slugging Percentage - .546
Next: .552, Lisa Marshal, 1991-93, 1995
 
SERIES VS. UNCW
The Seahawks lead the all-time series 20-3 and have won 15 in a row over the Pirates. Hampton's last win came on Feb. 24, 2001 by an 8-3 count in Wilmington, N.C.
Last season, UNCW defeated the Pirates in three tight games to close out the season in Wilmington as they won 2-1, 5-3 and 9-8 over May 1-3, 2025.
Since joining the CAA, Hampton has lost all nine meetings to UNCW.

ABOUT UNCW
Cassidy Relay, the CAA Co-Player of the Week, leads UNCW in average hitting a robust .490 clip. She was 9-for-11 in a three-game UNCW sweep over Charleston last weekend. She also leads the team in runs scored (24), hits (48), slugging percentage (.500), on-base percentage(.573) and stolen bases (23).
Following her is Emily Whitwell (.364), Becca Merrick (.341) and Averie Daughtry (.300).
On the mound, Camille Hamilton leads the team with a 7-3 record and a 2.03 ERA. She has struck out 72 with only 12 walks in 65.2 innings of work. Right behind her is Lynsie Herman with a 5-2 record and a 2.27 ERA.

NEXT UP
Hampton will head to defending CAA champion Elon for a three-game set from April 10-12 before closing out the home slate with a three-game series against Charleston on April 17-19.