Dover, Del. (Apr. 2, 2010) --- The Delaware State softball team has opened its Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference schedule on a sour note, falling to Howard 10-5 and 7-5 this afternoon.

In the opener, the Bison got off to a fast start with four runs in the top of the first inning, highlighted by a two-run single by Ciera Gordon.

Delaware State (14-10) answered with two runs in the bottom of the first. Andrea Waters singled in the first DSU run and Janelle Lukens followed with a sacrifice fly to cut Howard's lead to 4-2.

The Bison added a run in the fifth to take a 5-2 lead.

In Delaware State's half of the fifth, Waters and Lukens each singled in a run to pull the Hornets to within 5-4. Waters later scored on an error by the Bison to tie the game at 5-5.

Howard wasted little time regaining the lead. After a walk and a two-base error by the Hornets, Aisha Ledet drove in a run on a sacrifice fly to give the Bison a 6-5 lead. Jess Hurston gave Howard an 8-5 lead with a two-run single later in the inning.

The Bison tacked on two insurance runs in the top of the seventh.

Waters was 3-for-3 with two RBI for DSU in the game 1.

The Hornets hurt their cause by committing six errors in the opener. 

In the nightcap, Delaware State opened the scoring when Waters singled in a run and Breanne Parr followed with a two-run homer to give the Hornets a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first.

Howard responded with three runs in the top of the second to tie the score.

The Bison pulled ahead 4-3 on a two-out run-scoring double by Ledet in the top of the fourth.

Delaware State trailed 7-3 when Sherelle Sheppard and Jordan Reid singled in runs in the bottom of the sixth to pull the Hornets to within two.

Reid was 3-for-4 at the plate for DSU in the nightcap.

The team will wrap up the series with a single game on Saturday at 1:00 at the DSU softball field.