Delaware Bats Come Alive in Wins Over Bucknell, DSU at Blue Hen Blast

Sunday, March 6

Newark, Del.

1:00 PM

University of Delaware

Bucknell

Delaware Bats Come Alive in Wins Over Bucknell, DSU at Blue Hen Blast

3/6/2016 7:28:00 PM | Softball

By: Delaware Athletics

• Bucknell-UD Box
• DSU-UD Box

NEWARK, Del. -- The University of Delaware softball team used a late comeback to defeat Bucknell, 6-5, before holding on during a 13-11 slugfest over Delaware State as UD posted a pair of wins Sunday afternoon to close out the Blue Hen Blast Tournament.

Delaware, which scored just two combined runs in falling to the Hornets and Bison on Saturday, erupted for 19 runs and 29 hits on Sunday while improving to 10-6 on the season.

The Blue Hens fell behind Bucknell 3-0 early on, before pulling within a run in the bottom of the third after an RBI double by Mariah Kondravy (below) and a sacrifice fly by Lisa Stacevicz. The Bison went back up three runs at 5-2 after pushing across single runs in the fourth and the fifth, before Delaware scored four times in the bottom of the sixth to take the lead.

Giovanna Kolofer singled home Danielle Wissinger with the first run of the frame, while Mattie Nuccio (left) scored on a Leanna Gearhart single to make it a one-run game. With two outs Kondravy laced a double into the leftfield corner, driving home Kolofer and Gearhart to put the Blue Hens in front.

Bucknell (8-6) put the tying run on second base with nobody out in the seventh, but Kiersten Coffman struck out the next two batters before getting Shannon Murphy to line out to second to hold on for the win. Coffman improved to 6-3 on the year with the complete game victory, while Gearhart, Kondravy and Nuccio each recorded two hits.

Delaware then exploded for five runs in the bottom of the first inning against Delaware State (6-8), highlighted by RBI singles from Anna Steinmetz and Shelby Jones. The Hornets quickly answered with three in the top of the second, but the Blue Hens again put up five in the bottom half to take a 10-3 advantage. Steinmetz laced a two-run double during the rally, and after Carolyn Szymanski singled home a run, two more runs scored on a Wissinger single.

Hannah George led off the third with a single and came around to score on a Kondravy double, but Delaware State scored five times in the top of the fourth to close within 11-8. Gearhart then tripled home Wissinger in the bottom half, before two more runs by the Hornets in the sixth made it a 12-10 game.

Alyshia Dellatore doubled and crossed the plate on a DSU error in the bottom of the sixth, and although the Hornets got a run back in the seventh, Coffman retired Vanessa Washington on a foul out to seal the victory.

Szymanski allowed one run during one inning of relief in the circle to pick up the win and improve to 4-2 on the campaign. Steinmetz finished 3 for 3 at the plate with three RBI and two runs scored, Gearhart was 3 for 5 with two runs scored, and Wissinger added a pair of hits and three RBI.

Delaware State opened the day with a 12-10 victory over the Bison in a game that had been suspended on Saturday, before the Bison answered with a 6-0 shutout over the Hornets.

Game Notes:
• Delaware's 13 runs scored and 18 hits vs. DSU were its highest totals of the season
• Kondravy has eight multi-hit games through the first 16 contests of the year
• Gearhart has hit safely in 11 of the last 12 games
• Delaware hosts the UD Spring Invitational next weekend along with North Carolina A&T, Albany and Villanova

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Kevin Tritt at: ktritt@udel.edu (email) / 302-831-8715 (office) / 302-383-5005 (cell)