photos courtesy of Mark Campbell

Game 1 Boxscore
Game 2 Boxscore

ATLANTA, Ga. -- The University of Delaware softball team scored four runs in the top of the seventh inning to post an 8-6 win in the opener before dropping the nightcap 6-3 as the Blue Hens split a doubleheader at Georgia State Sunday at Bob Heck Field.

Delaware, which is now 8-11 overall and 2-3 in the Colonial Athletic Association, struck first in the opener by scoring four runs in the top of the second inning. Michelle Kenney ignited the rally with a leadoff single to first base, and she went to second on a single by Caitlin Smith.

Rachel Jones then struck out and Kenney was forced out at third when Lindsay Novak reached on a fielder’s choice, but Cecile Egan was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Katie DeSalvo (above right) then singled to center to drive home Smith, while Novak and Egan crossed the plate when Panthers centerfielder Chelsea Sparks misplayed the ball in center. Quinn Megargel followed with a double to left, driving home DeSalvo and giving the Blue Hens an early four-run lead.

Delaware maintained its 4-0 advantage until Georgia State mounted a rally in the bottom of the sixth. UD starting pitcher Anne Marie Pagano retired the first batter on a flyout but Lily Skelton walked, Rebecca Roles beat out an infield single and Rachel Cunningham walked to load the bases. Lauren Jones then worked a base on balls to force home pinch runner Lauren Fetters, and Natasha Berry followed by drilling a grand slam to put the Panthers in front, 5-4.

However the Blue Hens would answer right back in the top of the seventh to regain the lead. DeSalvo opened the frame with a double to left, and Erin Collins replaced Madi Gore in the circle for the Panthers. DeSalvo then advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Megargel, and an infield single by Michelle Grap (below right) put runners on the corners.

Delaware tied the game when DeSalvo scored on an RBI single to center by Kim Ovittore, and a walk to Kenney loaded the bases. Grap crossed the plate with the go-ahead run on an RBI groundout to second by Smith, while Ovittore and Kenney scored when Berry misplayed a ball hit to rightfield by Rachel Jones as the Blue Hens went ahead 8-5.

Amanda Stacevicz relieved Pagano in the bottom of the seventh, but Holly Willis led off with a walk and Catherine Lee reached on an error by Kenney at first base as the Panthers tried to make another comeback. Skelton followed with an RBI single to rightfield, bringing Georgia State within two runs and putting runners on the corners with nobody out.

But Novak fielded a groundball hit by Roles and threw home to nail Lee at the plate, and Stacevicz then got Cunningham to fly out to center and struck out Lauren Jones swinging to end the game.

Pagano, who improved to 6-4 on the year, allowed five earned runs on four hits while walking eight batters in six innings, while Stacevicz earned her first career save after giving up one run on one hit in the final inning. Collins dropped to 3-2 after she gave up three runs, one earned, on two hits in the final inning.

Grap finished 3 for 4 with a run scored for the Blue Hens, while DeSalvo went 2 for 4 with two runs scored and an RBI.

The Panthers, who are now 14-14 overall and 3-2 in the conference, took control of the nightcap by pushing across three runs in the bottom of the second inning. After Cunningham led off with a walk, Berry doubled to leftcenter and Laruen Jones walked to load the bases with nobody out. Whitaker then singled to center to drive home Cunningham, and Danielle Roddy followed with a single to left to plate Berry and make it a 2-0 game. Emily Whitaker then scored the third run of the frame on an error by Grap at third base.

The Panthers added a run in the fourth as Lauren Jones led off with an infield single, went to second on a Roddy walk, and scored on a two-out single by Lee. Pagano relieved Stacevicz in the circle for Delaware in the bottom of the fifth, but Georgia State tacked on two more runs to make it a 6-0 game.

With one out Cunningham and Berry each walked, and a single to left by Lauren Jones loaded the bases. Fetters, pinch running at third base, was then picked off by Smith, but Whitaker followed with a two-run double to put Georgia State up six.

Delaware mounted a rally in the top of the sixth, as DeSalvo singled to rightfield with one out and Megargel reached on an error by Roles at second base. Grap then doubled to left to drive home DeSalvo, and Ovittore followed with a two-run single to bring the Blue Hens within 6-3. Chelsey Morgan then replaced starter Alana Thomas in the circle for Georgia State, but Kenney greeted her with a single to center. However Smith grounded out to first and Ovittore was thrown out on the play to end the rally.

Thomas improved to 5-5 for Georgia State after allowing three runs, two earned, on five hits in 5.1 innings of work, while Morgan earned her first save of the year as she gave up just one hit in 1.2 innings of scoreless relief. Stacevicz dropped to 2-6 for Delaware after she allowed four runs, three earned, on five hits in the first four innings, while Pagano gave up two earned runs on two hits in two innings of relief.

Grap finished 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored to lead the Blue Hen attack while DeSalvo, Megargel, Ovittore and Kenney added a hit apiece.

Delaware returns to action on Tuesday when the Blue Hens host Villanova in a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.