Shaffer Scores 100th Career Run as Softball Finishes Season Sweep of Villanova, 5-2

Wednesday, April 8

Villanova, PA

3 PM

University of Delaware

20-19

Villanova

8-31

Delaware

Villanova

Photo by: Michael Riccio

Shaffer Scores 100th Career Run as Softball Finishes Season Sweep of Villanova, 5-2

4/8/2026 6:58:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

VILLANOVA, Pa. - University of Delaware softball senior Sydney Shaffer became the ninth player in program history to score 100 career runs after hitting a home run on Wednesday, April 8 in UD's 5-2 win over Villanova. The victory moved Delaware above the .500 mark for the first time since starting the season 1-0 and capped off a season sweep of the Wildcats for the first time since 2017.

HEN HIGHLIGHTS

Shaffer's 100th career run scored came on a three-run home run.
Katie Scheivert hit a home run as part of a 2-for-3, two RBI, two run scored outing by her. She also worked a walk.
Allie Nankivell was 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored.
Maddie Diamond and Gracie Jacobs each went 1-for-3, with Jacobs adding a run scored.
Josie Crossman earned the win with four innings pitched, six strikeouts, one run allowed, and zero walks issued.
Kylie Wilkerson recorded a nine-out save, allowing just two hits and one run while striking out two.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Scheivert hit a home run to left field in the first inning to put Delaware up 1-0. Crossman pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom half.
Crossman stranded a runner at second base in the second, recording two groundouts.
Jacobs singled to lead off the third and came around to score on an RBI single by Scheivert, making it 2-0.
Villanova got on the board in the third with a two-out run.
Crossman stranded another runner at second in the fourth to keep UD ahead 2-1.
Nankivell singled and Scheivert walked to put two runners aboard for Shaffer in the fifth. On the eighth pitch of the at bat, Shaffer hit a three-run home run to give Delaware a 5-1 lead.
With two runners aboard in the fifth, Wilkerson entered in relief and induced a fielder's choice and a 5-4 double play started by Diamond on a diving catch.
Wilkerson struck out two in a hitless sixth.
Villanova scored a run in the seventh, but Wilkerson limited further damage to seal the win.

GAME NOTES

Delaware swept the season series over Villanova for the first time since 2017. UD also won all of its games against the Wildcats in a season in 2016, 1998, 1989, 1988, and 1986.
Delaware has won four straight games against Villanova for the first time since 2016-17.
In Delaware's last nine games against Villanova, the pitching staff has held the Wildcats to a 1.56 ERA since 2021. UD has allowed two runs or fewer in six of the nine games in the stretch.
UD has outscored the Wildcats 32-22 over the last nine games, going 6-3 in that stretch.
Shaffer became the ninth player in program history to score 100 career runs, and joined Scheivert as active players to reach the century mark. Including Scheivert (125), Shaffer joins Hanna Garber (161), Leanna Gearhart (157), Jessica Grisler (135), Brittney Mendoza (126), Mandy Welch (119), Chloe Blantz (105), and Katie Lee (105).
Shaffer's home run was her 37th of her career and 13th of the season . She has hit six home runs over her last nine games and seven in her last 12 games.
Shaffer is now just seven home runs shy of tying Anna Steinmetz for the all-time program record of 44.
Shaffer tied Steinmetz on the all-time Delaware extra base hits list with 78, second most in program history.
Scheivert hit her seventh career home run and recorded her 91st career RBI. She now has 198 career hits and 125 runs scored.
Scheivert also recorded her team-leading 15th multi-hit game of the season and 57th of her career.
Nankivell extended her on-base streak to 18 games and hitting streak to a career-long six. Diamond extended her on-base streak to a career-best 13 games, while Blazys is on a career-long six-game on-base streak.
Nankivell has scored 13 runs over her last 11 games.
Jacobs has scored a run in six of her last seven games.
Wilkerson's save means all four Delaware pitchers have recorded a save this season. The four pitchers with a save are the most in a season since 2022 (Megan Stauffer - 5, Emily Winburn - 2, Graceyn Frost - 2, Kendall Shank, 1).
Wilkerson has pitched to a 2.10 ERA in her last seven games since March 15.
Delaware has hit multiple home runs in 11 total games and have hit 27 home runs in its last 23 games. Its 36 home runs are tied for the third most in program history, trailing only 2025 (57) and 2015 (39).

UP NEXT
Delaware returns home and to conference play when it hosts Middle Tennessee on Friday at 5:00 p.m.

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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