Blue Hens Drop CAA Doubleheader at Hofstra, 8-0 and 6-5

Saturday, April 8

Hempstead, N.Y.

2:00 PM

University of Delaware

16-15, 4-3

Hofstra

13-15, 3-3

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Delaware	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	2
Hofstra	3	0	0	0	5	8	11	0

Blue Hens Drop CAA Doubleheader at Hofstra, 8-0 and 6-5

4/8/2017 7:15:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Delaware Athletics

• Game 1 Boxscore
• Game 2 Boxscore

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- The University of Delaware softball team's seventh inning rally in the nightcap fell just short as the Blue Hens dropped a Colonial Athletic Association doubleheader to Hofstra, 8-0 and 6-5, Saturday afternoon at Bill Edwards Stadium.

Hofstra (14-15, 4-3 CAA) took the early lead in the opener, as after a pair of two-out walks in the bottom of the first inning, Megan Patierno belted a three-run homer. The Pride maintained its 3-0 cushion into the bottom of the fifth, when Hofstra scored five times to end the game due to the mercy rule.

Patierno smacked a two-run shot for her second home run of the contest, while one out later Brittany Allocca added a solo homer of her own to increase the margin to six. Later in the frame Kristin Hallam and Brielle Pietrafesa delivered RBI singles to put the game away for the Pride.

Hofstra pitcher Sarah Cornell fired a two-hit shutout to improve to 11-7 on the year, while Delaware starter Jordan Cargile dropped to 12-9 as she gave up eight runs on 11 hits in 4.2 innings. Leanna Gearhart singled in the third and Mattie Nuccio doubled in the fifth to account for the Blue Hens' two hits.

The Pride again struck first during the opening frame of the nightcap, as Nikki Michalowski drilled a two-run homer. After Hofstra added a run in the second on a sacrifice fly, Michalowski added her second two-run shot in the third to increase the Pride advantage to 5-0.

Delaware (16-16, 4-4 CAA) finally got on the board in the top of the fourth inning when Mariah Kondravy led off with a double and pinch runner Jess Bishop eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Emily Neal. Alyshia Dellatore then opened the fifth with a single, and after she moved to third base, she scored on a passed ball to bring the Blue Hens within three.

Pietrafesa doubled home a run in the bottom of the sixth to make it a 6-2 game, but Delaware rallied in its final at bat. Gearhart led off with a walk, Giovanna Kolofer followed with a single, and one out later Anna Steinmetz drilled a three-run homer to left field. The longball was the 24th of Steinmetz's career, setting the new UD home run record.

However Jessica Peslak then relieved Alyssa Irons in the circle for the Pride and struck out the next two Blue Hen batters to seal the win for Hofstra. Irons earned the win while Peslak picked up a save for the Pride, while UD pitcher Taylor Curran dropped to 3-2 after allowing six runs on eight hits in six innings.

Delaware and Hofstra conclude their weekend series with a 12 noon game on Sunday.

Game Notes:
• The Blue Hens had won eight of their last nine games prior to Saturday's losses
• In the opener, Delaware was shut out for the first time since a 9-0 loss to fourth-ranked Florida on Feb. 12
• Steinmetz's 24 homers are one more than Michelle Grap and Kondravy
• Her nine home runs are tied for fourth most in a UD single season
• Kondravy is now tied for sixth place in Blue Hen history with 36 career doubles

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