NEWARK, DE -- The University of Delaware softball team dropped the first game of its home doubleheader to East Carolina, 6-2, but rebounded for a 3-1 win in six innings in the nightcap to earn the split with the Pirates Tuesday afternoon at windy Delaware Field.

The Blue Hens, who are now 9-5 this season, hurt their cause in the opener by committing six errors that led to four unearned runs. Delaware struck first with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Allison Borchers led off with a single but was erased when Katie DeSalvo reached on a fielder’s choice. A single by Michelle Plant put runners on second and third, and after DeSalvo was picked off third base, Kim Ovittore drove in Plant with a single to leftfield.

However East Carolina, which is now 17-8 on the year, took the lead for good with two runs in the top of the third. With one out Ashley Quick doubled, but she was thrown out at home trying to score on an Erin St. Ledger single. Vanessa Moreno then tripled to score St. Ledger, and after a walk Moreno scored when Delaware catcher Quinn Megargel threw the ball into centerfield trying to nail Krista Jessup on a steal attempt at second base.

The Pirates tacked on a run in the fourth as Paige Baggett singled with one out, moved to second on a single by Jessica Potter, and scored on a two-out single by Quick. However the Blue Hens answered in the bottom of the inning when Megargel singled, advanced to second on a Kate Termini walk, and scored on a single by Barbara Traynor.

Delaware had a chance to tie the game in the fifth as the Blue Hens loaded the bases with nobody out, but UD could not push across the tying run. East Carolina then scored three unearned runs in the sixth to pull away. Singles by Potter and Alison Monce put runners on second and third with one out, but it looked like Delaware would escape the jam when pinch-runner Sarah Bibee was thrown out at home on a fielder’s choice by Quick. However two runs scored when St. Ledger reached on an error by Plant at third base, and after an error by Ovittore at shortstop, Jessup singled home the final run of the game.

Delaware woiuld not go away, loading the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the sixth, but again the Blue Hens could not score. Brently Bridgeforth picked up the win for the Pirates after allowing two runs on seven hits in 4.1 innings of work, while Keli Harrell recorded the save as she threw 2.2 innings of scoreless relief. Delaware pitcher Carolynn Sloat allowed six runs, just two earned, on nine hits to fall to 4-4 on the year.

The Blue Hens again drew first blood in the second game by scoring two runs in the bottom of the first. After Borchers led off by reaching on an error by the East Carolina centerfielder, Plant was hit by a pitch and Ovittore walked to load the bases with one out. Megargel then struck out, but Jessica Kozlowski (above) followed with a two-run single to put Delaware on the board.

UD added a run in the second when Termini worked a leadoff walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch, went to third on a groundout by Borchers, and scored on a single by DeSalvo. The Pirates scored their only run in the fifth as a two-out error by Blue Hen centerfielder Katie Lee plated Monce. East Carolina had runners on second and third later in the inning, but Delaware pitcher Lindsay Jones got Jessup to line out to Plant at third to preserve the lead.

The Pirates had runners on first and second with two outs in the sixth, but Jones got Monce to bounce into a fielder’s choice and the game was called due to darkness at the point.

Kozlowski finished the game 3 for 3 with the two runs batted in, while Jones allowed just one unearned run on five hits with three strikeouts as she improved to 4-1 on the year.

Delaware returns home Wednesday to host Pennsylvania in a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m.

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