NORFOLK, VA -- Allison Borchers (right) drove in nine runs Sunday to lead the University of Delaware softball team over Brown, 4-3, and Norfolk State, 9-1 in five innings, at Lake Taylor High School as the Blue Hens captured the Mason-Dixon Classic championship.

Delaware finished with a 5-1 record over the three-day classic to edge James Madison and Niagara, which each went 4-2, for the title. Cornell was 3-3, Brown finished 2-4, Norfolk State was 1-5, and George Mason finished 0-6. Maryland went 4-0 but was not eligible for the championship since the Terrapins did not play six games.

Borchers led the Blue Hens, who improved to 8-4 on the year, in the opener as she hit an inside-the-park grand slam in the top of the second inning to account for all four Delaware runs. Quinn Megargel led off the frame with a walk, and Kate Termini followed with a single. After an out all runners were safe when Megan Grau reached on a fielder’s choice, and one out later Borchers drilled a ball down the leftfield line and came all the way around to score for the grand slam.

The Bears answered with a run in the third on a sacrifice by Amy Baxter and Kelsey Wilson had a two-run single in the fifth, but Delaware pitcher Carolynn Sloat would not allow another run as Delaware hung on for the win. Sloat improved to 4-3 after allowing four hits and striking out five in the victory.

Borchers finshed 2 for 4 with a run scored and the four runs batted in, while Megargel and Termini also had base hits for the Blue Hens.

Borchers led the Blue Hens again in the win over Norfolk State by driving in five runs against the Spartans. She went 2 for 2 and gave Delaware a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second when she stroked a three-run double. Norfolk State answered with a run in the top of the fourth, but the Blue Hens scored one in the bottom of the frame and added five in the fifth to invoke the mercy rule and end the game.

Katie DeSalvo finished 2 for 4 with two runs batted in against the Spartans, while Grau was 1 for 2 with three runs scored and an RBI and Katie Lee went 1 for 2 with two runs scored and an RBI. Lindsay Jones allowed just one run on four hits while striking out five to improve to 3-1 on the year.

Delaware returns home Tuesday when the Blue Hens host East Carolina in a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m.

Brown Boxscore

Norfolk State Boxscore