Photos courtesy of Chris Permar

Boxscore

BALTIMORE, Md. -- Delaware junior Michelle Grap drilled a walkoff home run over the centerfield fence in the bottom of the seventh inning to lead the Blue Hens to their fifth straight victory, a 7-6 triumph over Lehigh Sunday morning at the UMBC Spring Classic.

The homer was the 17th of Grap's career, giving her the Delaware career home runs record. Laura Streets, who belted 16 longballs during her Blue Hen career from 2001-04, was the previous record holder. Grap also tied Streets' single-season mark of eight set in the 2003 season.

Delaware, which improved to 7-13 on the season, finished the tournament a perfect 4-0, including two victories over Lehigh. The Mountain Hawks dropped to 7-7 on the year.

Lehigh opened the scoring when Alex Cueva drilled a solo home run in the top of the first inning, but the Blue Hens came roaring back to score six runs in the bottom of the frame.

Jenny Richards ignited the rally with a single into right field, and Lindsay Novak followed with a bunt single. Grap (right) then singled to right to drive home Richards, while Novak also came around to score on an error by Mountain Hawks rightfielder Rosie Roessel. After Amanda Stacevicz singled into left field to put runners on the corners, Mary Ann Magee singled to right to chase home Grap with Delaware’s third run of the inning.

Lehigh starting pitcher Rebecca Bliss settled down to retire the next two Blue Hens on groundouts, but Shanette White (left) clubbed a three-run homer to right field to give Delaware a commanding 6-1 advantage.

However Lehigh’s Kristen Mitchell answered with a solo homer in the top of the second, and the Mountain Hawks scored three times in the third to pull within 6-5.

With one out Audra Wood singled, and after she stole second, Wood scored when Cueva reached on an error by Delaware second baseman Bertie Lake. Singles by Julie Fernandez and Jennifer Colquhoun then loaded the bases, but Cueva was forced at home for the second out of the inning when Liz Lucas reached on a fielder’s choice. However Jacqi Kennelly then reached on another miscue by Lake, allowing two runs to score and make it a one-run game.

Delaware looked for an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth, as Grap and Stacevicz singled to lead off the inning. Grap then moved to third on a sacrifice fly by Magee, but she was thrown out at the plate on a bunt by Rachel Jones as it remained a one-run margin.

Meanwhile Stacevicz relieved Blue Hen starter Anne Marie Pagano in the top of the fourth and fired three scoreless innings, but Lehigh pushed across an unearned run in the top of the seventh to knot the contest. Brooke Lewis led off by reaching on an error by Lake, and pinch runner Roessel then stole second. Roessel then moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Wood and scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Cueva to make it a 6-6 game.

Lehigh reliever Tiffany Curtis retired the first batter in the bottom of the seventh, but Grap followed with the walkoff homer to extend the Blue Hens’ winning streak to five.

Stacevicz, who allowed just one unearned run on one hit in four innings, improved to 4-5 and won her fourth straight decision while Pagano gave up five runs, three earned, on five hits in three innings of work. Bliss allowed six earned runs on nine hits in four innings for Lehigh, while Curtis dropped to 4-3 after giving up one run on one hit in 2.1 frames of relief.

Grap finished 3 for 4 with a pair of runs scored and two RBI for the Blue Hens, while Stacevicz and Magee added two hits apiece.

Delaware will look to extend its winning streak on Wednesday when the Blue Hens host Delaware State in a 2 p.m. doubleheader.