Photo courtesy of Chris Permar

Game #1 Boxscore / Game #2 Boxscore

NEWARK, Del. -- Blue Hen pitchers Anne Marie Pagano (at right) and Amanda Stacevicz each fired shutouts as the University of Delaware softball team swept a doubleheader from Lehigh, 1-0 and 3-0, in its 2009 home opener Wednesday afternoon.

In the opener Pagano recorded her second career shutout after allowing six hits and striking out six Mountain Hawks while not walking a batter, as she improved to 3-3 on the season.

Delaware, which improved to 4-8 on the season, broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the sixth inning by scoring the game’s only run. With two outs Mary Ann Magee singled to third base, and pinch-runner Samantha Pettie scored when Quinn Megargel followed with a double to deep centerfield. Pagano allowed a leadoff single up the middle to Brooke Lewis in the top of the seventh, but the sophomore retired the next three Lehigh batters to end the game.

Lehigh, which dropped to 10-10 on the year, had its best opportunity to score in the top of the third, when the Mountain Hawks had runners on the corners with one out. However Pagano got Julie Fernandez and Lisa Sweeney to ground out to escape the jam.

Sweeney fell to 6-5 for Lehigh after giving up one earned run on three hits and posting eight strikeouts.

Delaware opened the scoring in the nightcap by pushing across two unearned runs in the bottom of the first inning. Amanda Nyisztor led off the frame by drilling a double off the leftfield fence, and one out later she advanced to third when Michelle Grap reached on an error by Lehigh rightfielder Alisha Gonzales.

Kim Ovittore then struck out for the second out of the inning, but Michelle Kenney followed with a single into leftfield to plate Nyisztor. After Caitlin Smith walked to load the bases, Grap crossed the plate when Mountain Hawks shortstop Jennifer Colquhoun misplayed a groundball hit by Shanette White.

The Blue Hens added an insurance run in the fourth when Nyisztor singled up the middle with two outs, stole second and scored on a single up the middle by Megargel.

Lehigh tried to rally in the sixth as Mikey LaValley and Carly Potock walked, but Stacevicz got Colquhoun to ground into a double play to end the threat.

Stacevicz gave up just one hit and two walks while striking out four batters as she improved to 1-4 and earned her first career victory as a Blue Hen. Mountain Hawks starter Tiffany Curtis dropped to 4-3 after allowing three runs, one earned, on five hits with six strikeouts.

Nyisztor was 2 for 4 with two runs scored for the Blue Hens, while Megargel, Kenney and Cecile Egan added a hit apiece.

The shutouts marked the first time Delaware did not allow a run during a doubleheader since the Blue Hens swept UNC Wilmington, 2-0 and 1-0, on April 24, 2004. It was also Delaware’s first twinbill sweep of Lehigh since the 2000 season.

The Blue Hens open Colonial Athletic Association action on Saturday when UD hosts James Madison in a 12 noon doubleheader at Delaware Field.