photos courtesy of Mark Campbell

Boxscore

FAIRFAX, Va. -- Blue Hen freshman pitcher Amanda Stacevicz (above right) allowed just one hit while firing her fifth shutout of the season to lead the University of Delaware softball team to a 6-0 victory over George Mason Sunday afternoon at George Mason Field.

Stacevicz, who gave up only a leadoff double in the bottom of the second inning to Becky Anderson, struck out four batters while walking just two to improve to 10-9 on the season.

Delaware salvaged the final game of the weekend series with the Patriots to improve to 21-18 overall and 7-9 in the Colonial Athletic Association. The Blue Hens and UNC Wilmington are currently tied for fifth place in the league standings, as both teams sit a game and a half behind James Madison with one CAA series remaining in the race for the fourth and final spot in the conference tournament.

Mason, which swept a doubleheader from Delaware on Saturday, fell to 16-30 overall and 2-16 in the league.

The Blue Hens took control by scoring three runs in the top of the second inning. Michelle Kenney ignited the rally with a leadoff single up the middle, and she advanced to third when Kim Ovittore reached on an error by Patriots first baseman Anush Mooradian. Rachel Jones then lined a double to centerfield, driving home Kenney and Ovittore to put Delaware on top. After Jones went to third when Abbie Surosky reached on another error by Mooradian, she scored on an RBI groundout to second by Shanette White as the Blue Hens took a 3-0 lead.

After Jones reached on an error by Mason second baseman Alyssa See in the fourth, Surosky beat out an infield single and White singled to rightfield to load the bases with one out. Amanda Nyisztor then hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield to drive home Jones, while Surosky crossed the plate when Katie DeSalvo (below right) singled to first base. Quinn Megargel then followed with an RBI single to second base, scoring White to make it a 6-0 game.

DeSalvo finished 2 for 3 with an RBI for the Blue Hens, while Jones went 1 for 4 with two RBI and two runs scored. White was 1 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored, while Kenney and Surosky each added a hit and a run scored.

Anderson started in the circle for the Patriots and fell to 8-20 on the year after she allowed six runs, just one earned, on seven hits in four innings of work, while Miranda Cranford fired three innings of hitless, scoreless relief.

Delaware plays its final non-conference games of the season on Wednesday when the Blue Hens travel to UMBC for a 2 p.m. doubleheader with the Retrievers.