Jenny Richards photo by Chris Permar; Mary Ann Magee photo by Mark Campbell

Delaware vs. Georgetown Boxscore
Delaware vs. Lehigh Boxscore

BALTIMORE, Md. -- Jenny Richards delivered a walkoff single for the only run of the opener while Mary Anne Magee and Michelle Grap each homered in the nightcap as Delaware defeated Georgetown, 1-0, and Lehigh, 11-2 in five innings, Friday afternoon on the first day of the UMBC Spring Classic.

Delaware, which improved to 5-13 on the season, has now won three consecutive games for the first time since a six-game streak from April 5-10, 2009.

In the Blue Hens’ first game of the day, Delaware and Georgetown remained scoreless until the bottom of the seventh inning when Michelle Kenney drilled a one-out double down the leftfield line. Samantha Pettie then pinch ran for Kenney, and after she moved to third on a groundout by Shanette White, Magee walked to put runners on the corners. Richards (at right) then singled up the middle, driving home Pettie with the lone run of the contest.

Blue Hen pitcher Amanda Stacevicz, who improved to 2-5 on the year, posted her second consecutive shutout by scattering five hits while striking out three batters on the day. The sophomore righthander, who has now thrown 14 consecutive scoreless innings, walked just one batter and stranded six Hoya baserunners to notch her seventh career shutout.

Georgetown pitcher Mackensey Carter dropped to 2-6 after allowing one earned run on four hits and striking out seven batters for the Hoyas, who fell to 6-13 this season.

The Blue Hens then coasted to their third straight victory by pushing across five runs in the top first before making an out against Lehigh. Richards led off the game with a walk, and after Lindsay Novak singled into leftfield, Grap walked to load the bases. Stacevicz then singled to centerfield to chase home Richards, and Magee (at left) followed by drilling a pitch over the leftfield fence for a grand slam. The longball was the third of Magee’s career and was her second grand slam.

Singles by Bertie Lake and Richards and a walk to Grap again loaded the bases for the Blue Hens in the second, and Lake crossed the plate when Stacevicz followed with a long sacrifice fly to centerfield.

In the fourth Grap walked and Stacevicz singled with one out, and after the runners executed a double steal, Grap came around to score when the throw by Mountain Hawks catcher Lauren Eichblatt was wild. After Magee was hit by a pitch and Rachel Jones singled to load the bases once more for Delaware, Cecile Egan grounded out to drive home Stacevicz and make it an 8-0 game.

Rebecca Bliss replaced Lehigh starter Tiffany Curtis in the top of the fifth, but she allowed three runs as the Blue Hens reached double figures for the first time this season. Lake led off with an infield single, and after she was forced at second as Richards reached on a fielder’s choice, Novak singled into right to put two runners on base. Grap then drilled a three-run homer to rightfield, her team-leading fifth of the season and the 14th of her career, to give Delaware an 11-run cushion.

Lehigh, which dropped to 6-5 on the year, avoided the shutout in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI groundout by Julie Fernandez and a run-scoring single by Jennifer Colquhoun, but the game was called due to the mercy rule. The Mountain Hawks’ two runs snapped a 22-inning scoreless streak by the Blue Hen pitching staff.

Anne Marie Pagano improved to 2-4 for Delaware as she gave up two earned runs on seven hits, while Curtis dropped to 4-2 for Lehigh after surrendering eight earned runs on eight hits in four innings of work.

Stacevicz led the Blue Hen attack by going 2 for 3 with two RBI and two runs scored, while Novak was 2 for 4 with two runs scored. Lake finished 2 for 3, while Richards scored three runs and Grap finished 1 for 1 with three RBI and three walks.

Delaware continues play at the UMBC Spring Classic on Saturday when the Blue Hens face the host Retrievers at 12:35 p.m.