Softball Defeats Maryland and Ohio State on First Day of Mizuno Classic

Friday, February 20

Charlottesville, Va.

2 PM

University of Delaware

5-8

Maryland

5-8

Delaware

Maryland

Photo by: Michael Riccio

Softball Defeats Maryland and Ohio State on First Day of Mizuno Classic

2/20/2026 9:15:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – University of Delaware softball defeated Maryland, 5-2, and Ohio State, 2-0, on Friday, Feb. 20, on the opening day of the Mizuno Classic, hosted by the University of Virginia. Josie Crossman earned the win in both games as she combined to pitch 10.2 innings and allowed just one hit with 12 strikeouts and zero runs.

HEN HIGHLIGHTS, VS. MARYLAND

Maddie Diamond was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs.
Katie Scheivert went 2-for-3 with a run scored and a walk.
Gianna Costaro went 1-for-3 with a run scored.
Sorella Gallucci scored a run, drew a walk, and drove in a run.
Gracie Jacobs had a double.
Crossman pitched 3.2 innings in relief with four strikeouts and allowed 0 hits and 1 walk.

HEN HIGHLIGHTS, VS. OHIO STATE

Sydney Shaffer and Maddie Diamond each had two hits.
Shaffer hit a solo home run and doubled, while Diamond had two doubles and two walks.
Crossman went all seven innings, allowed just one hit, walked only two, and had eight strikeouts.

HOW IT HAPPENED, VS. MARYLAND

Maryland took a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning – the only runs Delaware allowed on the day.
With the bases loaded and two outs in the third inning, Diamond hit a single to left to score Allie Nankivell and Scheivert to even the score at two.
UD took the lead in the fourth after Gallucci and Costaro both reached base to start the inning. Gallucci scored on a wild pitch, and Ryleigh Thomas singled in Costaro to put Delaware ahead, 4-2.
With two runners on and one out in the bottom of the fourth, Crossman entered in relief and induced a pop out and ground out to escape the jam.
Crossman then retired the side in order in the fifth inning, then struck out three in a hitless sixth.
After a leadoff double by Diamond in the seventh, Gallucci brought home pinch runner Caylin Blazys to put UD up, 5-2.
Crossman finished off the win with a 1-2-3 seventh inning.

HOW IT HAPPENED, VS. OHIO STATE

Crossman ended the first inning with a strikeout, then pitched a 1-2-3 second with another strikeout.
Delaware got on the board in the third inning with a two-out home run by Shaffer. Crossman then recorded two more strikeouts in the bottom half of the inning, then pitched a perfect fourth.
Back-to-back, two-out doubles by Shaffer and Diamond provided an insurance run in the fifth, then Crossman worked around a leadoff walk in the bottom half with two more strikeouts.
Ohio State got its first hit in the sixth – a leadoff double – but a foul out, ground out to first, and a ground out to Crossman finished off the sixth.
Crossman pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the seventh to finish off the shutout.

GAME NOTES

Delaware's win over Maryland was its first since 2011, a 13-2 victory in Norfolk, Va.
UD's win over Ohio State was its first in the two programs' first-ever meeting.
The Blue Hens improved to 9-25 all-time against the Big Ten and have defeated a Big Ten opponent in back-to-back years after winning against No. 20 Michigan in 2025.
This was the second time in program history Delaware has won multiple games against a Big Ten opponent in the same season and the third time it has recorded multiple wins over a power conference opponent in one season.
Delaware defeated Penn State and Purdue, along with N.C. State, in 2022 and Iowa State twice in 2024.
UD improved to 6-4 at the Mizuno Classic over the last three seasons – including its two wins over Iowa State two seasons ago.
Delaware became the first team to shut out Ohio State this season. Only UCLA and Tennessee shut out the Buckeyes in 2025. Tennessee (twice) and Northwestern recorded shutouts against them in 2024.
This was also the second time in the last two years a team held Ohio State to one hit or fewer, as UCLA did so on April 5, 2025.
UD became the first non-conference opponent to hold Ohio State to one hit since Arizona State on March 8, 2020.
Crossman's shutout was Delaware's first of the season and her third of her career, and her eight strikeouts were a career high.
Shaffer hit her 29th career home run in the game against Ohio State.
Shaffer is up to 89 career walks, now tied with Mandy Welch for second-most all time and trailing only Hanna Garber (93) for the program record.

TICKETS
Softball season ticket deposits are available now. Season ticket packages and individual game tickets will go on sale later this winter.

Individual ticket prices will be $10 per game and $5 for youth (ages 3-12). Season ticket packages will be available at 50 percent off the single-game rate. There will also be group rates, incentives, and additional gameday experience opportunities. All seating will be general admission at Delaware Softball Diamond.

UD students will continue to receive free tickets to all home softball games.

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