University of Delaware Athletics
Blue Hens Head To Hofstra For Crucial Weekend Series With Pride
4/24/2015 11:36:00 AM | Softball
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- The University of Delaware softball team will look to continue its momentum following four mid-week victories as the Blue Hens head north to take on Hofstra in a crucial Colonial Athletic Association series this weekend.
The Blue Hens and Pride will play a 2 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday and a 12 noon single game on Sunday at Bill Edwards Stadium. Live audio and live stats will be available for all three contests at www.gohofstra.com.
Delaware enters the series with a 27-18 overall record, and the Blue Hens are currently tied for fifth place in the league standings with a 5-9 mark. Towson sits in fourth place at 6-9, while the Blue Hens and Drexel are just a half game behind in the race for the fourth spot in the CAA Tournament. The Tigers and Dragons face off this weekend while Delaware takes on the Pride.
Hofstra has won two straight to improve to 27-11-1 on the year, and the Pride is second in the league standings with an 11-3 record.
Delaware is coming off a pair of non-conference doubleheader sweeps of Coppin State and UMES this week, out-scoring its opposition by a 38-3 margin. The Blue Hens are just three victories shy of recording the fifth 30-win season in school history, with eight games remaining on the schedule.
UD freshman Mariah Kondravy belted a pair of home runs during the twinbill sweep of UMES on Wednesday, and now leads the CAA with 12 round-trippers this season. Kondravy, who is hitting .382 on the year and ranks second in the league with 44 RBI, is one homer and one RBI shy of the UD single season records. Sophomore centerfielder Sarah Bencivenga is now batting .369 on the season with 15 doubles, second most in the league and in a UD single season.
Senior rightfielder Jessica Grisler is currently second in the CAA with 36 runs scored and third with 54 hits, continuing to lead the Blue Hens in both categories while batting .360 on the season. Freshman shortstop Leanna Gearhart, who is hitting .328 on the campaign, continues to lead all of Division I with 11 triples, seven more than any other player in the conference.
Caryn Bailey has been a force for Hofstra this season, batting .411 on the year with team-highs of 53 hits, 33 runs scored, 11 homers and 40 RBI. Chloe Fitzgerald is tied with Bailey with 53 hits, to go with a .384 batting average. Morgan Lashley is an impressive 16-1 with a 1.86 earned run average in the circle for the Pride, while Taylor Pirone is 11-10 with a 2.21 ERA.
Delaware has not defeated Hofstra since the 2006 season and has lost 24 consecutive games to the Pride, which holds a 61-16 all-time series lead over the Blue Hens.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Kevin Tritt at: ktritt@udel.edu (email) / 302-831-8715 (office) / 302-383-5005 (cell)
