Delaware Softball Stays Hot With Doubleheader Sweep of Coppin State

Thursday, March 30

UD Softball Stadium

2:00 PM

University of Delaware

11-13

Coppin State

3-23

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Coppin State	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	4	0
Delaware	0	0	0	0	3	0	X	3	7	0

Delaware Softball Stays Hot With Doubleheader Sweep of Coppin State

3/30/2017 6:42:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Delaware Athletics

• Game 1 Boxscore
• Game 2 Boxscore

NEWARK, Del. -- Giovanna Kolofer went a combined 7 for 7 at the plate while Anna Steinmetz and Leanna Gearhart each belted three-run homers in the nightcap as the University of Delaware softball team swept a doubleheader from Coppin State, 3-2 and 11-3, Thursday afternoon at the UD Softball Stadium.

The Blue Hens, who improved to 12-13 on the season, have now won 10 of their last 11 games, including four in a row. Coppin State fell to 3-24 on the year and has dropped six straight following the pair of losses.

The Eagles took the lead in the opener when Camille Nowak drilled a two-run homer in the top of the first inning, but Delaware would eventually answer back with three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Emily Neal ignited the rally with a leadoff triple to centerfield, and one out later she scored on an RBI single to right by Mattie Nuccio. Following a pop out Kolofer drilled a double to leftcenter to drive home Nuccio, and she crossed the plate when Mariah Kondravy followed with an RBI double to left.

UD pitcher Jordan Cargile would make the lead stand up, retiring Coppin State in order during the sixth and seventh innings, including striking out the side in the final frame. Cargile improved to 9-7 after allowing just two runs on four hits with seven punchouts, while Neal finished a perfect 3 for 3 at the plate.

The Blue Hens then took control of the nightcap by scoring four runs in the bottom of the first inning, highlighted by a three-run shot to leftcenter by Steinmetz, her CAA-leading seventh longball of the year. Coppin State got two runs back in the top of the second on a bases loaded single by Megan Narvaez, but Delaware tacked on a run in the bottom half on a Steinmetz RBI single to make it a 5-2 game.

With two down in the bottom of the third Jess Bishop legged out a bunt single, and after Miranda O'Donald followed with a single, Gearhart drilled a three-run homer to leftcenter. After both teams scored a run in the fifth, Delaware then put the game away in the sixth on run-scoring singles by Gearhart and Kolofer, ending the game due to the mercy rule.

Taylor Curran picked up her second win of the campaign after giving up three runs, two earned, in five innings of work, before Kat Morris fired a scoreless sixth.

Kolofer tied the school single game record by going 5 for 5, while Gearhart finished 3 for 4 with four RBI and two runs scored. Steinmetz also knocked home four during the win, while O'Donald added three hits of her own.

The Blue Hens return to CAA action this weekend with a three-game series at Drexel.

Game Notes:
• Kolofer became the seventh player in UD history to record five hits in a game, and the first since Rachel Jones at James Madison on Apr. 2, 2010
• Steinmetz now has 22 career homers, one shy of the UD record of 23 held by Michelle Grap from 2008-11
• Gearhart slugged the eighth home run of her career
• Cargile has won her last seven decisions in the circle
• Delaware's 18 hits in the second game are the most since the Blue Hens also had 18 vs. Delaware State on Mar. 6, 2016
• Kolofer has reached base safely in 13 consecutive games
• The Blue Hens improved to 4-0 all-time vs. Coppin State
• The Eagles are coached by Gino Olivieri, a three-year starting tailback on the UD football team who helped lead the Blue Hens to the 1979 national championship

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