Blue Hens Cruise to Two Wins on Opening Day

Friday, February 10

Huntsville, Texas

11:00 AM

University of Delaware

1-0

UTSA

0-2

UTSA

Delaware

Photo by: Mark Campbell

2/10/2023 10:00:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

HUNTSVILLE, Texas – The University of Delaware softball team opened the 2023 season with a pair of wins on Friday at the 2023 Bearkat Classic, hosted by Sam Houston State. The Blue Hens defeated UTSA 6-1 in the morning's season opener, before returning to the field and downing Sam Houston 11-1.

Game One: Delaware 6, UTSA 1
Emily Winburn started in the circle and fired 5.0 innings, allowing one run on one hit while striking out five. Taylor Wroten made her Delaware debut and pitched two shutout innings to secure the victory.

Hanna Garber had two hits and was on base three times. She also stole two bases and scored two runs. Kiara Mills and Katie Scheivert each drove in a pair.

UTSA took the early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when a leadoff walk eventually resulted in a run on a ground out.

The Blue Hens came back in the bottom of the third inning with a two-out rally. With two outs and Garber on second after a bunt single and a stolen base, Brittney Mendoza walked before Mills drove her first hit in a UD uniform into the right-center field gap to score both runners and give Delaware a 2-1 lead.

Winburn was on cruise control after the first inning, allowing just two base runners the rest of the day. She retired nine-straight batters at one point.

In the fifth, Garber walked to lead off and went to third when Julz Garber reached on a bunt. A one-out walk to Mills loaded the bases before Morgan Olynyk drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. Scheivert's first career hit, a single into left, plated two runs to extend the lead to 5-1.

Anaya Troy drew a pinch-hit walk in the bottom of the sixth before stealing second and coming around to score on a bunt single by Emily Blum to provide the final 6-1 score.

Game Two: Delaware 11, Sam Houston 1 (6 innings)
The UD offense broke out for 11 runs on nine hits, including four extra-base hits to win in six innings. Mills led the outburst with three hits, including a double and a triple, and was one of three Blue Hens with two RBI, joining Mendoza and Jayla Brooks. Scheivert also had two hits, while Sydney Shaffer had a three-run home run.

Graceyn Frost picked up the win in the circle, allowing just one run in 3.0 innings with a pair of strikeouts. Kendall Shank shut the door with 3.0 scoreless innings of relief.

Delaware took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning when Brooks liked a two-run double down the left field line to score Chloe Blantz and Olynyk. A Scheivert RBI single plated Mills after a leadoff triple in the fourth inning to make it 3-0.

Shank came into the game with the bases loaded and nobody out in the bottom of the fourth and escaped with only one run crossing the plate.

The Blue Hens wasted no time in extending their lead in the top of the fifth as Mendoza drove in Emily Blum with an RBI ground out before Hanna Garber scored on a double by Mills to make it 5-1.

Delaware sent 11 batters to the plate in the sixth inning, scoring six runs on three hits, three walks and two errors. Sydney Shaffer provided the big blow with a pinch-hit, three-run home run in her first career at-bat. Mendoza added another RBI ground out and Mills drove in a run with a single to make it 11-1 and bring the mercy rule into play.

The Blue Hens will continue play at the Bearkat Classic on Saturday with a pair of games. Delaware will take on UTSA again at 11 a.m. before turning right around and playing Northwestern State at 1:30 p.m.

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