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HEMPSTEAD, NY -- The University of Delaware softball team will look to extend its record-breaking success this season into the postseason when the America East Softball Championship opens play Thursday at Hofstra Softball Stadium. The Blue Hens, who set a school-record this season with 35 wins during the regular year, are looking for their first America East Tournament title and the first since 1983, when it won an East Coast Conference title. The America East title carries an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament's field of 48. The Blue Hens, seeded second, will take on third-seeded Boston University at approximately 2:30 p.m. Top-seed and two-time defending champion Hofstra will host fourth-seeded Towson in the day's first game at 12 noon. Delaware's strengths have been strong pitching and fielding mixed in with timely hitting all season long. The Blue Hens boast a team ERA of 0.91, which is tops in America East and in the Top 5 in Division I. Senior Kristi O'Connell leads America East in ERA with a 0.78 mark, whick also places her among the Top 10 in Division I individually. The Elmsford, NY native is 15-10 this season and owns virtually every school career pitching record.
Susan Dugan, a junior transfer from St. Joseph's who became Delaware's first and America East's seventh 20-game winner last Sunday, enters the tournament with a 20-2 mark and a 1.07 ERA, which is sixth in America East. In the field, the Blue Hens have been among the Top 20 in Division I in fielding percentage. The Blue Hens have committed just 41 errors in 47 games this season and hold a .971 fielding percentage. In the infield, freshman third baseman Melissa Basilio and junior shortstop Carolyn Wasilewski have been two big keys. Basilio, a native of Pickering, Ontario, Canada, has committed just four errors in 161 chances. Wasilewski has been possibly the most improved player this year with just 10 errors in 168 chances while she has raised her batting average more than 60 points over her first two seasons. In the outfield, the pace has been set by senior Christine Brady. A native of Bensalem, PA, Brady is in the process of recording her second consecutive perfect fielding season - a feat never accomplished before at Delaware. She has made just one error in 151 chances over the last three years. At the bat, Delaware is led by junior Lauren Mark. The Hockessin, DE native is trying to become the first .400 hitter in school history since 1982. She is the first player in Delaware's 25-year history to record 50 hits in two separate seasons and needs just three RBI to tie the UD career mark held by Lauren Baugher with 82. Mark's career total stands at 79 RBI despite missing 28 games as a freshman due to a leg injury. Getting on base in front of Mark to score runs has been the 1-2 punch of Mandy Welch and Krissy Chrisztopulosz. Welch, the 1999 America East Rookie of the Year and a native of LaPlata, MD, is hitting .300 this season. Chrisztopulosz, a freshman from Aurora, Ontario, Canada, is a candidate for Rookie Top Honors this season with a .315 batting average and a perfect fielding percentage in 43 chances. The NCAA Tournament field of 48 will be announced on Sunday, May 14 at 9:30 p.m. EDT.
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