University of Delaware Athletics
Delaware To Face Coppin State, UMES in Pair of Midweek Doubleheaders
4/20/2015 2:48:00 PM | Softball
NEWARK, Del. -- The University of Delaware softball team will face a pair of MEAC schools this week as the Blue Hens host Coppin State in a 3 p.m. doubleheader on Tuesday before heading to UMES for another 3 p.m. twinbill on Wednesday.
The Blue Hens are coming off a tough weekend sweep to No. 23 James Madison over the weekend, and enter the Coppin State games with a 23-18 overall record. Delaware is currently tied for fifth place in the CAA standings with a 5-9 league mark with two conference series remaining.
Coppin State is just 3-22 overall and 3-6 in the MEAC, while UMES will begin Wednesday's twinbill at 7-24 overall and 4-8 in MEAC action.
UD senior rightfielder Jessica Grisler is poised to break the UD career record for games played on Tuesday, as she enters the week tied with Michelle Plant at 201 games played. Grisler, already the Blue Hen career leader in hits, runs scored and at bats, has started and batted leadoff during every game of her four-year career. She recorded a pair of hits during Sunday's game vs. the Dukes, and continues to lead the squad with 48 hits and 30 runs scored.
Sarah Bencivenga has posted 11 hits in the last eight games, increasing her team-leading batting average to .355 on the campaign. Bencivenga is tied for second in the CAA with 13 doubles, and also paces the Blue Hens with 10 stolen bases. Mariah Kondravy, who is hitting .350 this year, belted a three-run homer on Saturday for her 10th round-tripper of the year, second most in a UD single season and one shy of the CAA lead.
All three of Coppin State's victories this season came over UMES, as the Eagles will be looking to snap an eight-game losing skid on Tuesday. Candice Van Horn leads Coppin State with a .397 batting average, seven doubles and 16 RBI, while Danielle Smith is hitting .342 with team-highs of 23 runs scored and four homers. However the Eagles have struggled mightily in the circle, posting a 12.24 team earned run average.
Despite having just seven wins on the season, the Hawks are coming off a weekend series win over Hampton by taking the final two games of the set. Vanessa Gomez is batting .366 for UMES with team-highs of 34 hits and 22 runs scored, while Treenece Nash is hitting .333 on the campaign. Adrienne has won six games in the circle for the Hawks, who feature a 10.01 team ERA.
Tuesday's doubleheader will be the first ever meetings between Delaware and Coppin State, while the Blue Hens have won all four previous meetings with UMES since the start of the 2011 season.
The two home games vs. Coppin State will be webstreamed on www.bluehens.com.
