Kondravy’s Homer in Opener Gives Blue Hens Doubleheader Split With Charleston

Saturday, April 22

Mt. Pleasant, S.C.

2:00 PM

University of Delaware

18-21, 6-7

College of Charleston

26-19, 6-7

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Delaware	1	0	0	1	0	0	3	5	7	0
Col. of Charleston	3	0	0	0	0	0	1	4	10	0

Kondravy’s Homer in Opener Gives Blue Hens Doubleheader Split With Charleston

4/22/2017 7:02:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Delaware Athletics

• Game 1 Boxscore
• Game 2 Boxscore

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. -- Blue Hen first baseman Mariah Kondravy belted a game-winning homer in the seventh inning to give the University of Delaware softball team a 5-4 victory in the opener before the College of Charleston responded with a 6-0 shutout in the nightcap as the teams split a Colonial Athletic Association doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Patriots Point.

Leanna Gearhart led off the opener with a walk, after advancing to third on a steal and a groundout, she scored the first run of the game when Anna Steinmetz lined a single to centerfield. However the Cougars (27-19, 7-7 CAA) quickly answered in the bottom half on RBI doubles by Taylor Belfiore and Katie Padilla to take a 3-1 advantage.

Delaware (18-22, 6-8 CAA) got a run back in the top of the fourth when Emily Neal led off with a single and eventually scored on a single by Jordan Cargile, but the Blue Hens' rally ended when Mattie Nuccio lined into a double play with the bases loaded.

Charleston maintained its one-run lead until the top of the seventh, when Gearhart led off with a single, stole second and moved to third on a groundout. Giovanna Kolofer then lined out to first base, but after Steinmetz was intentionally walked, Kondravy crushed a dramatic three-run homer to leftfield to put Delaware in front.

The Cougars rallied in the bottom half as Kelly Sinclair singled home Yari Felix with two outs, but Cargile then retired Jordin Jones on a flyout to center to end the game.

Cargile improved to 14-12 after allowing four runs on 10 hits, while Charleston pitcher Izzy Berouty gave up five runs on seven hits to fall to 9-5 on the year. Steinmetz reached base safely during all four of her plate appearances with two hits and two walks, while Gearhart was 1 for 1 with two runs scored.

Charleston struck first in the nightcap by scoring a run on a UD error in the bottom of the third inning, before blowing the game open with four runs in the fourth. Sinclair and Jones delivered RBI singles during the frame, while another pair of runners crossed the plate on an error. Lexee Emanuel then closed the scoring by leading off the bottom of the fifth with a solo home run.

Cougars pitcher Sydney Shipley would make the lead stand up, as she fired a four-hit shutout to improve to 8-5 on the season. Taylor Curran dropped to 3-4 after allowing six runs (three earned) in four innings of work for the Blue Hens, while Kondravy finished 2 for 2 with a walk at the plate.

The teams conclude their weekend series with a 12:30 contest on Sunday.

Game Notes:
• Kondravy's homer was the 24th of her career, moving her into sole possession of second place in school history
• Gearhart has now scored 123 runs during her UD career, 12 shy of the school record
• The Blue Hens were shutout for the fifth time this season during the nightcap
• Charleston now leads the all-time series with Delaware, 8-4

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