Blue Hens Split Two Games Friday

Friday, March 4

Boca Raton, Fla.

9:00 AM

University of Delaware

9-5

SIUE

3-8

Delaware

SIUE

3/4/2022 4:49:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 SIUE Box Score ISU Box Score Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

BOCA RATON, Fla. – The University of Delaware softball team split a pair of games on Friday to open the FAU Parents' Weekend Tournament. The Blue Hens opened the day with a 7-3 come-from-behind victory over SIUE before falling 8-5 to Illinois State. With the two results, the Blue Hens move to 9-6 on the season.

Game One: Delaware 7, SIUE 3

The Blue Hens scored six runs over the final three innings to come back from a three-run deficit to open the weekend with their fourth-straight win.

Brittney Mendoza led the UD offense with a 4-for-4 performance at the plate. Brooke Glanden and Chloe Blantz each had two hits, while Glanden and Hanna Garber both drove in two runs.

Megan Stauffer picked her first win in a Delaware uniform with 3.2 innings of scoreless relief, scattering three hits. Emily Winburn earned her first save of the season with 2.0 shutout innings, striking out four batters.

It was SIUE that got on the board first, scoring three runs in the bottom of the second inning.

The Blue Hens got a run right back in the top of the third as Mendoza hit an RBI single over the shortstop's head to score Hanna Garber. In the top of the fifth, UD added another run on a solo home run by Glanden, her fifth of the season.

Delaware was able to string together several hits in the top of the sixth inning, scoring four times. Sarah Bessel led off with an infield single and went to second on a ground out. A Blantz single put runners on the corners before Julz Garber hit an RBI single to score Bessel and tie the game at three. Hanna Garber followed with a triple into right field to drive in two runs, and then she scored on a sacrifice fly by Glanden to make it 6-3.

Blantz added an RBI single in the top of the seventh, scoring Mendoza, to provide the 7-3 final score.

Game Two: Illinois State 8, Delaware 5

A late rally fell short as the Blue Hens drew 14 walks and left 15 runners on base.

Glanden and Halle Hisamore led the Blue Hens with two hits apiece, while Hanna Garber walked three times. Mendoza, Kailey Christian and Blum all also walked twice.

Illinois State jumped ahead quickly, scoring two runs in the top of the first and three more in the third to go up 5-0. Another run in the top of the fourth made it a 6-0 game.

The UD offense put runners on base in each of the first three innings, but three outs on the base paths ended any threats. The Blue Hens got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning when Blum drew a one-out walk and moved up to second on a ground out. Two batters later, Julz Garber reached on an infield single and Blum came around to score when the throw was wild.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Blue Hens loaded the bases with nobody out on an error and two walks. An RBI fielder's choice by Blum and a two-out, pinch-hit RBI single by Morgan Olynyk scored two runs to make it a 6-3 game.

Illinois State plated a pair of runs in the top of the sixth, but UD got one of them right back when Mendoza lifted a sacrifice fly to score Grace Rudolph, cutting the deficit to 8-4.

Delaware loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the seventh before Kisamore drew a walk to force home Julz Garber and make it an 8-5 game. With the winning run at the plate, however, a strikeout and ground out ended the game

The Blue & Gold will return to the field on Saturday when they play two more games at the FAU Parents' Weekend Tournament. UD will take on SIUE again at 9 a.m. before playing the host Owls at 4:30 p.m.

For the latest on the Delaware softball program, follow the Blue Hens on Twitter @Delaware_SB and Instagram @Delawaresoftball and like "Delaware Softball" on Facebook.