BOWIE, MD -- The Bowie State softball program will open its 2024 season at Morgan State this weekend at the Lois T. Murray Field in Baltimore, Md. The twinbill will be the first meeting between the two programs since 2021.

The Series

• This will be the sixth and seventh meeting between Bowie State and Morgan State since 2012.
• The Lady Bears are 5-0 all-time against the Bulldogs.
• The last last time these two teams met was during the 2021 season.

About Bowie State
Head Coach Ed Powell enters his fourth season leading the Bulldogs after winning his first conference championship at BSU in 2023. Powell guided the Bulldogs to a 35-16 record and 14-2 mark in the CIAA on its way to a division and conference championship, followed by an NCAA appearance.

Bowie State is led by three returning All-Conference players in pitcher and CIAA Player of the Year Lindsey George, All-CIAA utility player Akirra Pullen, and All-CIAA outfielder Jayla Hill. Additionally, the Bulldogs welcome back veteran second baseman Saniya Jones who earned All-CIAA accolades in 2022 after suffering a season injury during the 2023 campaign.

About Morgan State
The Lady Bears are coming off a 24-21 record and 14-4 campaign in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) last season under the leadership of Larry Hineline who enters his ninth season at the helm. Morgan State had two players named to the All-MEAC Preseason Team in Anaya Hunte and Victoria Fletcher as the Lady Bears were picked to win the 2024 MEAC softball title. Fletcher was named the MEAC Softball Preseason Player of the Year after earning the title in 2023 where she earned second team honors at third base and third team honors at pitcher. Fletcher led the league in earned run average (2.20) and runs batted in (43). In the pitching circle, she logged 70.0 innings with 13 starts, a 9-5 record and limited opponents to a .245 batting average (3rd best in the MEAC). Meanwhile, Hunte earned back-to-back MEAC Pitcher of the Year winning the title in both 2022 and 2023, while also earning an All-MEAC First Team selection. She was selected as MEAC Pitcher of the Week six-times as she recorded 157.2 innings pitched, 137 strikeouts, 33 batters struck out looking, 15 wins and three saves.

In addition to Hunte and Fletchers preseason nods, the Lady Bears also added three to the All-Preseason Team in Melissa Paz (utility), Nia Lewis (outfielder) and Mia Ewell (outfielder).

Looking Ahead
The Bulldogs will compete in the HBCU Classic in Spartanburg, S.C. on Friday, Feb. 16 through Sunday, Feb. 18 at Tyger River Park. The Bulldogs will take on members from the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) beginning with Albany State on Friday, followed by tilts with Kentucky State and Miles on Saturday and closing out with contests versus Edward Waters and Tuskegee.

For the most up-to-date information on Bowie State Athletics and its 13 varsity sport teams, visit bsubulldogs.com.