Winburn’s 10 Strikeouts Lead Blue Hens Back into Win Column

Saturday, February 25

Greensboro, N.C.

1:30 p.m.

University of Delaware

5-8

UConn

5-5

Delaware

Connecticut

Winburn’s 10 Strikeouts Lead Blue Hens Back into Win Column

2/25/2023 5:28:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

GREENSBORO, N.C. – The University of Delaware softball team put itself back into the win column on Saturday, splitting two games at the UNCG Invitational. The Blue Hens dropped a 6-4 decision to Indiana in the first game, before bouncing back to defeat UConn 6-4. With the two results, UD moves to 5-8 on the season.

Game One: Indiana 6, Delaware 4
Julz Garber led the offense with two hits, while Hanna Garber reached base three times via a walk and Grace Rudolph also walked twice. Taylor Wroten fired 3.2 scoreless innings of relief in the circle with two strikeouts.

Indiana struck first with a pair of the runs in the top of the first inning, but the Blue Hens responded with three runs in the bottom of the second. After a one-out infield single by Chloe Blantz, consecutive RBI doubles from Sydney Shaffer and Olivia Marinucci knotted the score at two. Marinucci eventually crossed the plate on a fielding error to give UD the 3-2 lead.

The Hoosiers answered right back with three runs of their own in the third and added another run in the fourth to take a 6-3 lead.

In the sixth, Hanna Garber came home on an Indiana error to cut the deficit to 6-4, but Delaware could not rally any closer.

Game Two: Delaware 6, UConn 4
Four different Blue Hens had multiple hits and Emily Winburn tied a career-high with 10 strikeouts as Delaware snapped an eight-game losing streak.

Winburn fired her fourth complete game of the season, and 25th of her career, as she went the full 7.0 innings. She allowed four runs on 10 hits while tying her career best with 10 strikeouts.

Brittney Mendoza had two hits, including a home run, and scored two runs. Hanna Garber had two doubles and an RBI while Julz Garber also had two hits and two RBI. Sydney Shaffer finished with two hits, including her second double of the day.

For the first time this weekend, it was the Blue Hens who scored first as they took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Mendoza scored on a ground out by Hanna Garber before Julz Garber beat out an infield single that allowed Anaya Troy to cross the plate.

UConn tied things up with two runs in the third, but Delaware responded right away with a run in the top of the fourth. With Shaffer on first after an error, Hanna Garber drove her in with a double to left field to give the Blue Hens a 3-2 advantage.

In the fifth, Blantz singled with two outs before Mendoza launched her first home run of the season over the left field fence to extend the lead to 5-2.

After the Huskies cut the lead to two, Julz Garber drove in Grace Rudolph with a sacrifice fly in the top of the sixth inning to make it 6-3.

UConn cut it to 6-4 in the seventh and brought the winning run to the plate, but Winburn shut the door to put the Blue Hens back in the win column.

Delaware will wrap up play at the UNCG Invitational on Sunday afternoon. The Blue Hens will play the host Spartans at 3 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.