Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell

Boxscore

HUNTINGTON, W.V. – The University of Delaware softball team jumped out to an early three-run lead in the first inning, but Kent State came storming back and eventually overcame the deficit on the way to an 8-5 victory over the Hens during the first day of the Marshall Tournament on Friday afternoon.
 
Cecile Egan improved her team-high batting average to .333 after finishing the contest 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored. Shanette White (at right) also had the big hit of the game for Delaware (2-7) after posting a three-run blast to open the early scoring.
 
In the bottom of the first, Lindsay Novak worked a one-out walk and Egan ripped a single to left. With two on, White launched a three-run shot to center that spotted Delaware a 3-0 lead.
 
Although the Golden Flashes (2-9) chipped away at their deficit with one run in the second, Blue Hen starter Amanda Stacevicz quickly regained control and held the Kent State offense to just one hit over the next two innings of play.
 
Still holding on to a two-run advantage, Delaware hit a rough patch in the fifth. Heather Duhon and Lauren Brocklehurst opened the frame with back-to-back singles before Leah Archual knotted the game at three with a two-run triple. One batter later, Lauren Grimes broke the deadlock and cleared the bases with a home run to right center.
 
Following a pitching change, Kent State remained on the attack. Beth Cinadr worked a walk and Jessica Carmichael lined a double to right before Ashlee Hein smacked a two-run double to center. Later, after reliever Bertie Lake got the first two outs of the frame, Heather Duhon capped the scoring with an RBI single through the left side of the infield.
 
Having seen their two-run lead flipped into a five-run deficit, the Blue Hens orchestrated one last offensive surge. In the bottom of the seventh, Rachel Jones drew a walk and advanced to second on a passed ball. Jenny Richards followed with a two-out single to right that plated Jones. Later, Egan ripped a shot back up the middle that brought home Richards to pull Delaware within three.
 
Unfortunately, that was as close as the Hens would get as Kylie Reynolds was summoned from the bullpen and retired the final batter to seal the victory.
 
Danielle Abernathy (1-1) earned the win for Kent State after scattering two hits and a pair of runs over six innings of work. Stacevicz (0-4) took the loss after allowing five runs on seven hits in four innings of work.
 
Delaware will return to action tomorrow when the squad has a chance for redemption with a 9 a.m. showdown against Kent State. The squad will follow up that game with a 1 p.m. contest against Marshall.