University of Delaware Athletics
University of Delaware
Elon
Elon Rallies For 5-4 Extra Inning Victory Over Blue Hens
4/12/2015 5:04:00 PM | Softball
• Boxscore
ELON, N.C. -- The Elon University softball team rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Phoenix posted a 5-4 comeback victory over the University of Delaware Sunday afternoon at Hunt Softball Park.
Elon, which improved to 25-13 overall and 7-5 in the Colonial Athletic Association, took the weekend series after the teams split a doubleheader on Saturday. The Blue Hens dropped their second consecutive league series, falling to 21-15 overall and 5-6 in conference play.
The teams were tied at 3-3 heading to the ninth inning, but Sarah Bencivenga put Delaware in front with a single into the gap in rightcenter that scored Leanna Gearhart all the way from first base.
However Carey Million quickly brought the Phoenix back even when she led off the bottom half by blasting a pitch over the leftfield fence. Kayla Caruso then reached on a throwing error by UD pitcher Carolyn Szymanski, and after she moved to second on a wild pitch, she scored on a two-out single into left by Hannah Olson to give Elon the win.
The Phoenix jumped in front during the bottom of the first inning when Alaina Hall tripled and later scored on an RBI single by Emily Roper, but Delaware took the lead with three unearned runs in the top of the third.
Danielle Wissinger led off the frame with a double, while pinch runner Giovanna Kolofer scored from second when the pickoff throw from Million went into the outfield. Gearhart then singled to center, and she came all the way around to score when Bencivenga legged out an infield hit and the throw to first by Olson was off the mark. Heather Oakley then singled into shallow leftfield, allowing Bencivenga to cross the plate and give the Blue Hens a 3-1 lead.
However the Phoenix got a run back in the fourth on an RBI single by Hall and tied the game in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Kara Shutt, while the teams then remained knotted at 3-3 until the pivotal ninth inning.
Chelsea White improved to 5-0 for the Phoenix by throwing two-thirds of an inning, while Szymanski fell to 15-8 for Delaware after allowing five runs, four earned, on 10 hits.
Gearhart, Bencivenga and Szymanski had two hits apiece for the Blue Hens, who are back home on Wednesday to host Rider in a 3 p.m. doubleheader.
Hen Scratchings:
• The Blue Hens dropped to 1-1 in extra inning games this season
• Delaware played its longest game since a nine-inning contest vs. Drexel on Apr. 6, 2014
• UD went 5-4 during its nine consecutive games away from Newark
• Despite the loss Delaware remains in fourth place in the CAA standings
• Gearhart has eight hits and eight runs scored in her last five games, hitting safely in all five
• Bencivenga posted two hits during all three games on the weekend
• Elon left 15 runners on base during Sunday's contest
AGATE:
Delaware....003 000 001 - 4 8 1
Elon............100 101 002 - 5 10 2
UD: Szymanski and Wissinger. Elon: Mitchum, O'Shea (3), White (9) and Million. E: Szymanski (UD), Olson (Elon), Million (Elon). DP: Elon 1. LOB: UD 9, Elon 15. 2B: Wissinger (UD), Olson (Elon); 3B: Hall (Elon); HR: Million (Elon); HBP: Jones (UD), Quintana (Elon); SH: Jones (UD), Olson (Elon), Million (Elon), O'Shea (Elon); SF: Shutt (Elon); SB: Hall (Elon), Mitchum (Elon). Win: White (5-0). Loss: Szymanski (15-8).
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Kevin Tritt at: ktritt@udel.edu (email) / 302-831-8715 (office) / 302-383-5005 (cell)
