University of Delaware Athletics
Blue Hens Open Home Schedule This Weekend By Hosting Delaware Spring Invitational
3/12/2015 2:33:00 PM | Softball
NEWARK, Del. -- The University of Delaware softball team will open its 2015 home schedule this weekend when the Blue Hens play four games while hosting the Delaware Spring Invitational.
The five-team invitational features 10 games during the weekend including two on Friday, four on Saturday and four on Sunday. Delaware opens play on Friday by taking on Delaware State at 2 p.m., before Villanova faces St. Francis (Pa.) at 4:30 p.m.
The Blue Hens will play the first game on Saturday, facing St. Francis (Pa.) at 9 a.m. The rest of the day will feature Villanova vs. Delaware State at 11:15 a.m., St. Francis (Pa.) vs. Cornell at 1:30 p.m., and Delaware State vs. Cornell at 3:45 p.m.
Delaware State and St. Francis (Pa.) will kick off Sunday's action at 9 a.m., before Cornell faces Villanova at 11:15 a.m. Delaware will then take on Cornell at 1:30 p.m. and Villanova at 3:45 p.m. to close the invitational.
The Blue Hens are 9-6 on the season, and won four of five games at the UNCW Seahawk Spring Classic two weeks ago before last weekend's Blue Hen Blast was canceled.
Senior rightfielder Jessica Grisler leads Delaware with a .455 batting average, 25 hits and 18 runs scored, and needs just eight more hits to become Delaware's career hits leader. Freshman Mariah Kondravy is hitting .396 with six doubles and a team-leading 14 RBI, while Heather Oakley is batting .326 with two home runs.
Carolyn Szymanski paces the UD pitching staff with six wins and a 2.66 earned run average, while Jordan Cargile is currently tied for second in the nation with four saves.
Cornell is just 1-5 on the young season, with its lone win coming over Canisius. Karlie Mellott is batting .600 for the Big Red, while three other players are hitting over .400 so far this year.
Delaware State has opened its campaign with a 1-11 mark, including a victory over North Carolina Central. Vanessa Washington leads the Hornets with a .387 batting average, while Nicole Gazzola is hitting .371 with a team-high 13 hits.
St. Francis (Pa.) carries an 8-4 record into the tournament, as the Red Flash picked up wins over Sacred Heart and Akron last weekend. Kate Blattenberger leads St. Francis (Pa.) with a .400 batting average, while Jordan Seneca is hitting .348 and Alexis Bower has won three games with a 1.06 earned run average in the circle.
Villanova is 6-9 on the year, and split six games last weekend at the USF Under Armour Invitational in Clearwater, Fla. Sierra McConnell is hitting a team-high .389 for the Wildcats, while Chase Snell and Lauren Herschberg are each batting .304 on the season.
Following the weekend's action, Delaware remains home on Wednesday to host Morgan State in a 3 p.m. doubleheader. The Blue Hens open CAA play next weekend with a three-game series at Drexel.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Kevin Tritt at: ktritt@udel.edu (email) / 302-831-8715 (office) / 302-383-5005 (cell)
