University of Delaware Athletics
University of Delaware
Monmouth
Coffman?s Shutout Gives Blue Hens Doubleheader Split With Monmouth
3/23/2016 7:10:00 PM | Softball
• Game 1 Box
• Game 2 Box
NEWARK, Del. -- Blue Hen senior righthander Kiersten Coffman fired a three-hit shutout in the nightcap as the University of Delaware softball team split a doubleheader with Monmouth on Wednesday afternoon at the UD Softball Stadium.
The Hawks (10-9) took the opener, 3-1, before Delaware (14-10) answered with a 1-0 win during the nightcap as the teams played a pair of low-scoring contests.
Coffman recorded her first shutout of the season and improved to 9-4 after allowing just three hits and 
no walks while striking out seven batters.
Delaware scored the only run of the game in the bottom of the fifth as Alyshia Dellatore ripped a two-out single to left, moved to second on a Hannah George (left) single, and scored when Leanna Gearhart reached on an error by Monmouth second baseman Nicole Wieczorek.
The Hawks had a chance to tie the game in the top of the seventh when Rachel Shotzbarger led off with a double, but Coffman retired the next three batters, including a strikeout of Jill Freese for the final out of the contest, to seal the victory.
The game, which featured just seven hits by the two teams, was played in a crisp hour and five minutes.
The opener was scoreless until the bottom of the fourth inning, when Anna Steinmetz led off by reaching on an error and pinch runner Morgan Schroll eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Carolyn Szymanski.
However Monmouth quickly answered with three runs in the top of the fifth, as Wieczorek drove home a run on a bases loaded groundout before Amanda Riley delivered a two-run triple.
The Blue Hens put the tying runners on second and third with two outs in the bottom of the seventh following singles by Shelby Jones and Gearhart, but Mattie Nuccio lined out to center to end the game.
Riley recorded a complete game effort in the circle for the Hawks, improving to 3-2 after allowing just the unearned run. Szymanski dropped to 5-5 for Delaware as she gave up three earned runs in 4.2 innings of work, before Jordan Cargile fired 2.1 frames of scoreless relief.
The Blue Hens open their Colonial Athletic Association schedule on Friday with a 3 p.m. home game against the College of Charleston, before the teams play an 11 a.m. doubleheader on Saturday.
Game Notes:
• George recorded a team-high three hits on the day for the Blue Hens
• Coffman's shutout was the third of her career, and Delaware's fifth of the season
• Gearhart stole three bases and now has 17 on the season, fifth most in a UD single season
• UD snapped a season-long three-game losing streak by taking the nightcap
• Delaware and Monmouth are now tied 4-4 in the all-time series
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Kevin Tritt at: ktritt@udel.edu (email) / 302-831-8715 (office) / 302-383-5005 (cell)
