photo couresy of Mark Campbell

Game 1 Boxscore
Game 2 Boxscore

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- Shanette White (at right) had a two-run double in the opener while Amanda Stacevicz fired a three-hit shutout in the nightcap as the University of Delaware softball team swept a doubleheader at Drexel, 6-2 and 4-0, Friday afternoon at Drexel Field.

Delaware, which improved to 17-14 overall and 5-5 in the Colonial Athletic Association, extended its winning streak to six games, the Blue Hens’ longest since a six-game streak from April 1 through April 11, 2007. UD, which went 4-17 in league games a year ago, has surpassed its 2008 conference win total already this season.

Drexel, which dropped to 20-13 overall and 6-5 in the CAA, had its seven-game winning streak snapped by dropping the first game to the Blue Hens.

The Dragons took the lead in the bottom of the first inning in the opener, as after Lisa Williams and Ashley Botelho each singled, both runners scored on a two-out double to leftfield by Christina Rodriguez.

Delaware cut the lead in half in the top of the second when Kim Ovittore led off by reaching on an error by Dragons second baseman Kelly Downes, advanced to second when Michelle Kenney reached on another Downes error, went to third on a groundout by White, and scored on a single to left by Rachel Jones.

Kenney then walked to lead off the top of the fourth inning, and she was pinch run for at first base by Abbie Surosky. White then laid down a sacrifice bunt, and Surosky came around to score the tying run when the throw by Botelho to second base was off the mark and rolled all the way to the centerfield fence.

Lindsay Novak led off the top of the fifth inning with a single to left, and after Katie DeSalvo walked, the runners moved to second and third on a sacrifice by Quinn Megargel. Michelle Grap then grounded out, but Ovittore walked to load the bases and Kenney walked to force home Novak with the go-ahead run. White then doubled to center, driving home DeSalvo and Ovittore to put the Blue Hens in front, 5-2.

Delaware added a run in the sixth as Amanda Nyisztor led off with a walk, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Novak, advanced to third on a groundout by DeSalvo, and scored on a wild pitch.

After allowing the two first inning runs, Delaware pitcher Anne Marie Pagano shut down the Dragons the rest of the way to pick up the win. Pagano, who improved to 10-6 on the season, allowed two earned runs on seven hits while striking out four batters. Hillary Allen, who fell to 9-6 for Drexel, gave up six runs, five earned, on five hits.

The Blue Hens struck first in the nightcap by pushing across two runs in the top of the second inning. Ovittore led off the frame with a single to center, and after a sacrifice bunt by Kenney, White worked a walk to put runners on first and second. Jones then singled to center to drive home Ovittore and advance White to third, while Nyisztor followed with a sacrifice fly to center to plate White with the second run of the game.

Megargel walked to open the top of the fifth inning, and she advanced to second when Grap reached on an error by Drexel second baseman Caprice DeMirjian. Ovittore followed with a single to left to load the bases, and Hillary Allen then replaced Drexel starter Amanda Shattuck in the circle. Kenney then hit a sacrifice fly to rightfield to drive home Megargel, while Ovittore crossed the plate when the throw by Dragons rightfielder Katy Harrington was wild.

That would be plenty of support for Stacevicz, who allowed just three hits and did not walk a batter while improving to 7-7 on the season. Stacevicz, who fired her third shutout of the season and second this week, has now thrown 19 consecutive scoreless innings.

Shattuck fell to 1-2 on the year for Drexel after allowing four runs, three earned, on three hits in four innings of work, while Allen gave up one hit in three scoreless innings of relief.

Ovittore had three hits and scored three runs on the day to pace the Delaware offense, while Jones added two hits and two runs batted in.

The Blue Hens and Dragons conclude their three-game series on Saturday with a single game beginning at 11 a.m. at Drexel Field.