University of Delaware Athletics
University of Delaware
Hofstra
Blue Hens Rally in Late Innings For Thrilling 10-6 Win Over Hofstra
4/17/2016 3:40:00 PM | Softball
• Boxscore
• Boxscore (pdf)
NEWARK, Del. -- Delaware trailed Hofstra by five runs heading into the bottom of the fifth inning but rallied for 10 runs during its final two at bats as the Blue Hens posted a thrilling 10-6 comeback win over the Pride Sunday afternoon at the UD Softball Stadium.
Delaware, which took the rubber game of the teams' Colonial Athletic Association series, improved to 26-14 overall and moved into sole possession of second place in the conference standings with an 8-4 mark. Hofstra dropped to 21-17 overall and 5-6 in league play.
The Pride scored three times in the top of the first before adding two in the second, and Hofstra maintained its 5-0 lead until the bottom of the fifth. With two outs Mariah Kondravy singled up the middle to drive home Hannah George, while Anna Steinmetz followed with a three-run homer to leftfield as the Blue Hens closed within a run.
Kim Smith legged out a bunt single to drive home Caryn Bailey in the top of the sixth to put Hofstra up two, but Delaware immediately answered with six runs in the bottom half to take control. Walks to Shelby Jones, Alyshia Dellatore and Hannah George loaded the bases with one out, before Jones scored on an illegal pitch by Hofstra reliever Madison Grimm.
Gearhart then hit a sharp groundball that got past Pride second baseman Lacey Clark, allowing both Dellatore and George to score and give Delaware the lead. After Gabby Klecko legged out a bunt single, Kondravy delivered another RBI single to make it an 8-6 game. One out later Lisa Stacevicz ripped a two-run double down the leftfield line, chasing home Klecko and Kondravy to cap the rally.
Blue Hen relief pitcher Kiersten Coffman then allowed a leadoff single in the top of the seventh but then retired the next three Hofstra batters to close out the remarkable win.
Coffman improved to 16-6 after firing two scoreless innings, after Jordan Cargile allowed just one run in 3.2 frames of work. Kondravy finished 3 for 4 with two RBI and two runs scored at the plate, while Gearhart went 2 for 4 with an RBI and two runs scored.
Delaware returns to action next weekend when the Blue Hens head to seventh-ranked James Madison for a three-game series with the Dukes.
Game Notes:
• The Blue Hens scored their most runs in a game vs. Hofstra since 1989
• Delaware won a season series from the Pride for the first time since 2006
• The Blue Hens scored a run for the 37th straight game, one shy of the school record
• Coffman's 16 wins are tied for sixth most in a UD single season
• Kondravy posted her fifth three-hit game of the year
• Gearhart scored a run for the 16th consecutive game and extended her hitting streak to seven
• Steinmetz now has 11 home runs, second most in the CAA
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Kevin Tritt at: ktritt@udel.edu (email) / 302-831-8715 (office) / 302-383-5005 (cell)
