University of Delaware Athletics
University of Delaware
College of Charleston
Blue Hens Hold Off Charleston, 3-2, To Salvage Final Game of Weekend Set
4/5/2015 3:56:00 PM | Softball
• Boxscore
CHARLESTON, S.C. -- The University of Delaware softball team jumped out to a three-run lead and held off a College of Charleston rally in the bottom of the seventh inning as the Blue Hens salvaged the final game of the weekend series, 3-2, Sunday afternoon at Patriots Point.
Delaware improved to 19-13 overall and 4-4 in the conference following the victory, while the Cougars dropped to 19-19 overall and 4-5 in league play.
The Blue Hens jumped in front during the top of the first inning, as Sarah Bencivenga cracked a two-out double to centerfield before scoring on a single to center by Heather Oakley. Mariah Kondravy then singled up the middle to chase home pinch runner Morgan Schroll, giving Delaware the early two-run lead.
UD added an insurance run in the fifth when Leanna Gearhart led off with a triple to rightcenter and immediately crossed the plate on a single up the middle by Jessica Grisler.
Meanwhile Blue Hen pitcher Carolyn Szymanski carried a one-hit shutout into the bottom of the seventh, before Charleston attempted a comeback. With two outs Taylor Dupree doubled home Brianna Davis, while she then came around to score on an RBI single by Mackenzie Maples. However Szymanski regrouped to retire Rebecca Mueller on a groundout to shortstop, giving Delaware the victory.
Szymanski improved to 13-7 on the season following the complete game win, while Bencivenga finished 2 for 3 with a pair of doubles.
Delaware remains on the road on Wednesday when the Blue Hens face Monmouth in a 3 p.m. non-league doubleheader.
Hen Scratchings:
• Gearhart now has seven triples, three more than any other player in the CAA and tied for third on the UD single season list
• Bencivenga now leads UD and ranks second in the CAA with 11 doubles
• Oakley has hit safely in seven of the last nine games
• Kondravy did not hit a home run for the first time in five games this week
AGATE:
Delaware........200 010 0 - 3 7 0
Charleston.....000 000 2 - 2 3 0
UD: Szymanski and Wissinger. CofC: Klicker, Martin (3) and Maples. DP: UD 1. LOB: UD 5, CofC 7. 2B: Bencivenga 2 (UD), Jones (UD), Dupree (CofC); 3B: Gearhart (UD); HBP: Grisler (UD), Maples (CofC), Hansis (CofC), Frisbie (CofC); SH: Wissinger (UD); CS: Nuccio (UD). Win: Szymanski (13-7). Loss: Klicker (9-12).
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Kevin Tritt at: ktritt@udel.edu (email) / 302-831-8715 (office) / 302-383-5005 (cell)
