photo courtesy of Mark Campbell

Game 1 Boxscore
Game 2 Boxscore

DOVER, Del. -- The University of Delaware softball team pounded out 22 hits on the day as the Blue Hens swept a doubleheader from Delaware State, 7-3 and 10-1 in five innings, Wednesday afternoon at the Hornets Nest.

The Hornets, who dropped to 10-11 on the season, struck first in the opener by scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning. With two outs Megan Lambertz doubled to rightcenter, and she scored when Breanne Parr followed with a single up the middle. Tawny Reeger then doubled to left, driving home Parr with the second run of the game.

The Blue Hens, who improved to 7-10 on the year, answered with three runs in the top of the third inning to take the lead for good. Amanda Nyisztor led off the frame by working a walk, and Quinn Megargel followed with a single to leftcenter. Delaware State pitcher Brittney Ruark then retired two straight batters, but Michelle Kenney (above right) drilled a three-run homer to left to give Delaware the lead.

UD added a run in the top of the fourth when Cecile Egan (below right) beat out an infield single, went to third on a Nyisztor double, and scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Michelle Grap. However the Hornets pulled within 4-3 in the bottom of the frame when Andrea Waters drilled a solo home run to centerfield.

But Delaware would stretch the lead by scoring three runs in the top of the fifth inning. With one out Caitlin Smith and Shanette White each walked, and Casey Beighly replaced Ruark in the circle for the Hornets. But Rachel Jones greeted Beighly by drilling a single to center, driving home Smith with the first run of the frame. White then scored on a single to left by Egan, while Jones crossed the plate when Nyisztor reached on a fielder’s choice.

The Blue Hens maintained their four-run advantage until the bottom of the seventh, when the Hornets mounted a rally. With one out Allison Rubin singled, Rachel Carroll reached on a fielder’s choice and Lambertz walked to load the bases, but UD pitcher Anne Marie Pagano struck out Parr and got Reeger to bounce into a fielder’s choice to end the game.

Pagano improved to 5-4 after she allowed three earned runs on 10 hits and striking out fve batters, while Ruark dropped to 6-4 as she gave up six earned runs on six hits in 4.1 innings of work.

Grap, Jones and Egan each had two hits to lead the Blue Hen attack, while Nyisztor, Megargel, Kenney and Smith added a hit apiece.

Delaware blew open the nightcap by scoring eight runs in the top of the second inning. Kim Ovittore led off the frame with a single to left, and she scored the first run of the game when Kenney followed with a double. One out later White and Jones walked to load the bases, and Egan drove home two runs with a single to center to make it a 3-0 game.

After Egan and Jones moved to second and third on a groundout, both runners scored when Megargel singled to rightcenter. Megargel then stole second, and she crossed the plate on a single to rightfield by Grap to give Delaware a six-run lead. Ovittore then drove home Grap with a single to left, and Beighly replaced Lambertz in the circle for Delaware State. Kenney then singled to rightcenter to score Ovittore with the eighth run of the inning.

The Hornets got on the board in the bottom of the second as Reeger led off with a walk, moved to second when Carroll was hit by a pitch, and scored two outs later on a single to right by Beighly.

Megargel led off the top of the fourth by reaching on an error, and one out later she advanced to second on a walk by Ovittore. Waters then replaced Beighly in the circle and got Kenney to pop out, but consecutive RBI singles by Smith and White gave Delaware a 10-1 lead.

UD pitcher Amanda Stacevicz, the current CAA Rookie of the Week, improved to 2-5 after she allowed one earned run on three hits while striking out a season-high nine batters. Lambertz, who gave up eight earned runs on seven hits in 1.2 innings, fell to 1-4 on the season.

Megargel, Ovittore, Kenney, White and Egan each recorded two hits in the second game for Delaware, which posted 12 hits in the contest.

Following the twinbill sweep the Blue Hens improved to 22-1 against Delaware State and have now won 14 straight meetings against the Hornets.

Delaware returns to Colonial Athletic Association play this weekend with a three-game series at Georgia State. The Blue Hens and Panthers will play a doubleheader on Saturday and a single game on Sunday, with action on both days beginning at 12 noon.