University of Delaware Athletics
University of Delaware
Rider
Delaware Sweeps Rider, 5-1 and 2-1, in Non-Conference Doubleheader
4/15/2015 7:02:00 PM | Softball
• Game 1 Boxscore
• Game 2 Boxscore
NEWARK, Del. -- The University of Delaware softball team shut down the Rider offense as the Blue Hens posted a non-conference doubleheader sweep of the Broncs, 5-1 and 2-1, Wednesday afternoon at the UD Softball Stadium.
Delaware, which improved to 23-15 following the pair of wins, jumped ahead during the opener in the bottom of the first inning when Mariah Kondravy blasted a three-run homer to centerfield. The Blue Hens then tacked on a run in the fourth as Danielle Wissinger doubled home Shelby Jones to make it a 4-0 game.
The Broncs, who fell to 8-24 on the season, got on the board in the top of the fifth when Montana Berg singled up the middle to chase home Toni Nino. However Kondravy got the run right back in the bottom half with a solo shot to rightcenter, her team-leading ninth home run of the season.
Jordan Cargile would take it from there, retiring all six batters she faced in the final two frames to seal the victory. UD starter Carolyn Szymanski improved to 16-8 after allowing one run on two hits with five strikeouts in five innings of work.
Rider took the early lead in the nightcap as Nino led off the game with a walk, stole second, and scored on a single to left by Gina McCool. The Broncs maintained their lead until the bottom of the fourth, when Leanna Gearhart led off with a double to rightfield and immediately came around to score on a double to left by Sarah Bencivenga (left) to pull the Blue Hens even.
Wissinger then doubled with one out in the fifth, while one out later Jessica Grisler laced a single to leftcenter to chase home pinch runner Alyshia Dellatore with the game-winning run. Rider put a runner on third with one out in the seventh, but Kennedy Lester retired the next two Broncs batters on groundouts to pick up her first career save.
Kelly Lupton surrendered one run on one hit in the first three frames for UD, while Kiersten Coffman (right) followed with three hitless innings of relief to earn her first win of the season.
Delaware remains home on Saturday when the Blue Hens host No. 23 James Madison in a 12 noon CAA doubleheader at the UD Softball Stadium.
Hen Scratchings:
• The games were the first for Delaware interim head coach John Seneca
• Delaware went 4-0 vs. Rider, defeating a non-conference opponent four times in the same season for the first time since beating Delaware State four times in 2005
• The Blue Hens improved to 16-1-1 vs. Rider since the start of 2007
• Kondravy's nine home runs are tied for second on the UD single season homers list
• Kondravy hit four homers in four games vs. Rider this season
• Kondravy's two-homer performance was UD's first since Bencivenga hit two in the 2014 season finale at JMU
• Bencivenga finished the day with three hits including two doubles, and now ranks second in the CAA with 13 doubles
• Gearhart extended her hitting streak to seven games
• Szymanski's 16 wins are tied for fifth most in a UD single season
AGATE:
Game 1
Rider............000 010 0 - 1 2 0
Delaware.....300 110 x - 5 10 0
RU: Zeilman and Breeden. UD: Szymanski, Cargile (6) and Wissinger. LOB: RU 2, UD 5. 2B: Wissinger (UD); HR: Kondravy 2 (UD); SH: Clark (RU); SB: Bencivenga (UD), Jones (UD); CS: Isaacs (UD). Win: Szymanski (16-8). Loss: Zeilman (0-5).
Game 2
Rider............100 000 0 - 1 2 0
Delaware.....000 110 x - 2 5 1
RU: Ailand and Breeden. UD: Lupton, Coffman (4), Lester (7) and Wissinger. E: Oakley (UD). DP: RU 1, UD 1. LOB: RU 2, UD 3. 2B: Sensi (RU), Gearhart (UD), Bencivenga 2 (UD), Wissinger (UD); SB: Nino (RU); CS: Nino (RU), Bencivenga (UD). Win: Coffman (1-1). Loss: Ailand (0-2).
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Kevin Tritt at: ktritt@udel.edu (email) / 302-831-8715 (office) / 302-383-5005 (cell)
