University of Delaware Athletics
University of Delaware
Monmouth
Delaware Defeats Monmouth, 9-5, in Opener; Second Game Called Due To Darkness
4/8/2015 7:31:00 PM | Softball
• Boxscore
WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. -- The University of Delaware softball team won the first game of its doubleheader at Monmouth, 9-5, on Wednesday afternoon at the MU Softball Park before the second game was called due to darkness.
The Blue Hens (20-13) were leading 13-1 through two innings when the game was called, so the result and all statistics from the contest will not count.
The opener remained scoreless until the top of the fourth inning, when Mariah Kondravy crushed a solo home run to left field. Kondravy now has a team-leading seven homers this season, including five in the last six games.
However Monmouth (7-14) answered right back in the bottom half, as Rachel Shotzbarger led off with a single and eventually scored on an RBI groundout by Raelynn Galindo.
But the Blue Hens went back in front for good in the fifth when Leanna Gearhart opened the frame with a triple and immediately crossed the plate on a single up the middle by Jessica Grisler. The triple was Gearhart's eighth of the season, tying her for the Division I lead along with LSU's A.J. Andrews.
Grisler then scored on an RBI groundout by Danielle Wissinger, before Delaware put the game away with four runs in the sixth. Morgan Schroll scored on a Monmouth error, and after Gearhart singled home a pair, she came around to score when Wissinger singled to center.
The Hawks got three runs back in the bottom half on a bases loaded double by Vanessa Cardoza that cleared the bases, but Delaware answered with two more in the seventh on RBI singles by Shelby Jones and Giovanna Kolofer.
Carolyn Szymanski improved to 14-7 in the circle after allowing four runs in six innings of work, before Jordan Cargile gave up one run in the seventh.
Gearhart finished 2 for 3 with two runs scored and a pair of RBI for the Blue Hens, while Kondravy went 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored.
Delaware returns to Colonial Athletic Association play this weekend when the Blue Hens travel to Elon for a three-game series with the Phoenix.
Hen Scratchings:
• Kondravy's seven homers are tied for the CAA lead
• Kondravy has a hit and an RBI in each of the last six games
• Delaware has hit 16 triples this season, second in Division I behind only top-ranked LSU with 17
• Gearhart posted her third two-hit game in the last seven contests
• Jones scored two runs for the first time this year
• Delaware evened the all-time series with Monmouth at 3-3
• Kondravy belted a grand slam in the nightcap before the game was called
AGATE:
Delaware......000 124 2 - 9 9 1
Monmouth...000 103 1 - 5 7 2
UD: Szymanski, Cargile (7) and Wissinger. MU: Underhill, Sniffen (5), Riley (7) and Redmond. E: Szymanski (UD), Flores (MU), Redmond (MU). LOB: UD 6, MU 7. 2B: Cardoza (MU); 3B: Gearhart (UD); HR: Kondravy (UD); HBP: Bencivenga (UD), Jones (UD), Sandelier (MU); SB: Grisler (UD), Schroll 2 (UD), Jones (UD), Kolofer (UD), Gearhart (UD), Hill (MU), Cardoza (MU); CS: Isaacs (UD). Win: Szymanski (14-7). Loss: Sniffen (3-3).
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Kevin Tritt at: ktritt@udel.edu (email) / 302-831-8715 (office) / 302-383-5005 (cell)
