MURFREESBORO, NC- CLICK HERE TO VIEW PHOTO GALLERY The Chowan University softball team earned a critical sweep over CIAA Northern Division opponent Virginia State University on Saturday afternoon.  The Hawks took a 3-2 win in the first game, and used extra winnings to grab a 6-5 win over the Lady Trojans in the nightcap.
 
Chowan celebrated Senior Day on Saturday for Amber Matthews, Shelby Pendleton, Megan Wade, and Lacey Wildeboer.  

The Hawks got on the board early in the first contest, using an RBI single from Liz Hipple in the bottom of the second to grab a 1-0 lead.  The Lady Trojans answered back in their next at-bat by taking advantage of two Hawks errors to knot the contest 1-1. 
 
Virginia State University took the lead in the top of the fourth frame when Verlisha Brandon's triple to right center scored Caitlin Underhill, who had reached on a walk.  Jessica Mattia silenced the Hawk bats until the bottom of the sixth.  Shelby Pendleton slapped a base hit to center field to score Hannah Joyce to tie the game 2-2.  Liz Hipple's sacrifice fly allowed Lacey Wildeboer to score, giving the Hawks a narrow 3-2 advantage over the Lady Trojans. 
 
Virginia State strung together three consecutive base knocks in the bottom of the seventh to make things interesting.  With no outs, Endya Bailey hit an infield fly, which resulted in a triple play for the Hawks to end the game and earn the 3-2 win. 
 
Alora Lincoln tossed seven innings and scattered 10 hits over the course of the afternoon en-route to earning the win on the mound for the Hawks.  Jessica Mattia took the loss on the mound for the Lady Trojans in the first game.  Liz Hipple, Leigh Ward and Lacey Wildeboer all had two hits in the win.   Hipple paced the Hawks with two RBI. 
 
Hipple put the Hawks on the board in the bottom of the first after scoring on a passed ball.  The Lady Trojans responded by plating a run in the next frame off an RBI single from Cameryn Smith.  An RBI single from Endya Bailey in the top of the third gave Virginia State a 2-1 advantage. 
 
The Lady Trojans plated two additional runs in the top of the fourth after drawing a bases loaded walk and an RBI single from Jameshia Smith.  Down 4-1 in the bottom of the fifth, Kelly Hardison drilled a homerun to left center on the first pitch of her at-bat to make the score 4-2.
 
The Lady Trojans tacked on an additional run in the top of the seventh.  Logan Tollison led off the inning with a triple down the right field line, and later scored on an RBI groundout from Dominique Johnson. 
 
In the bottom of the seventh, Leigh Ward drew a walk, stole second, and scored off a single up the middle by Hipple to make the score 5-3.  Amber Matthews followed with a base knock to center to set the stage for an RBI single by Hannah Joyce to put the Hawks within one run of the Lady Trojans.  Lacey Wildeboer kept the rally going with a blooper to right center, allowing Matthews to score, knotting the game 5-5.  The Hawks were unable to score the go-ahead run in the frame, forcing the game into extra innings. 
 
Alora Lincoln held the Lady Trojans scoreless in the top of the eighth. 
 
The Hawks used home field advantage to secure the win in the bottom of the eighth.  With Kelly Hardison placed on second, Shelby Pendleton used a sacrifice bunt to advance Hardison.  Leigh Ward came through in the clutch with a single to center to score Hardison and secure the 6-5 victory. 
 
Hipple and Wildeboer both finished the nightcap 3-3 at the plate.  Shelby Pendleton tallied two hits in the victory. 
 
Courtney Groce threw 6.1 innings in the second game, and was credited with no-decision after Lincoln came in in-relief.  Lincoln earned the win on the mound, her second of the day. 
 
The Hawks hit the road on Sunday to take on Virginia Union University, and travel to Wilson, NC to take on Barton College on Monday.