GEORGETOWN, DE -- The University of Delaware softball team ran its winning streak to six games Saturday as the Blue Hens remained unbeaten in pool play with a 7-0 win over host Delaware State at the Bash at the Beach Tournament.

Delaware (14-5) improved to 3-0 in the tournament after posting wins of 8-5 over Pennsylvania and 8-3 over St. Francis of New York in Friday’s first round action. The Blue Hens will close out pool play with a 9 a.m. game vs. Marist on Sunday and will then play in the pool play championship game after the conclusion of the first game. The Hens’ six-game winning streak is the team’s longest since an eight-gamer back in 2004.

The Hens defeated Pennsylvania for the third time this season in the opener as they scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to overcome a 5-4 deficit heading into the final inning. Barbara Traynor (at right) went 3 for 4 with two runs batted in, including her first home run of the season in the second inning.

Katie DeSalvo, Allison Borchers, and Kim Ovittore each banged out two hits for the Blue Hens with DeSalvo scoring three runs, Borchers scoring twice, and Ovittore knocking in a run. Delaware took advantage of four Quaker errors as starter Carolynn Sloat struck out seven to pick up the win.

In the 8-3 win over St. Francis, Ovittore knocked in a career-high five runs and Traynor hit her second home run of the day as the Blue Hens banged out 11 hits to post the victory. DeSalvo went 4 for 4 and scored three runs, Ovittore had two hits to go with her five RBI, Traynor went 1 for 3 with a home run and two RBI, and Borchers had a double and scored a run.

Lindsay Jones (6-1) went three innings in the circle to post the win while Kelsey Knapp went four inning in relief to earn her second save. The two combined to strike out 11 St. Francis batters.

Delaware took care of things early as the Hens scored six runs in the first inning and never looked back. Borchers doubled to open the game and was followed by a single by DeSalvo and a walk to Michelle Plant. Ovittore then cleared the bases with a three-run double, Traynor followed with a two-run home run, and Katie Lee added an RBI single. Amanda Pileggi knocked in two runs for SFC while Janine Valentin and Natasha Kirkland each had doubles.

The Hens remained unbeaten in the tournament on Saturday with the 7-0 win over Delaware State as Sloat hurled a four-hit shutout and struck out four batters to improve to 7-4 on the season. The shutout was her third of the season and 17th of her career. She was backed by nine hits as the Hens scored four in the first inning and three more in the sixth. Jessica Kozlowski led the Hens with three RBI.

Kozlowski had a two-run single, Ovittore knocked in a run with a single, and Traynor had a sacrifice fly as part of the four-run first while Kozlowski added a run-scoring single in the sixth and the Hens scored two more on a Delaware State error that inning to cap the scoring. Kozlowski, Ovittore, Plant, and Quinn Megargel each had two hits for
Delaware.

Penn Boxscore

St. Francis (NY) Boxscore

Delaware State Boxscore