Boxscore

GREENVILLE, N.C. – Penn State scored in all but one inning as the Nittany Lions eased past Delaware, 9-1 in six innings, Saturday on the second day of the East Carolina Pirate Classic.

Penn State, which improved to 8-3, took the early lead by scoring three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Cassidy Bell led off with a single up the middle, and after Ashley Griffith followed with an infield single, both runners scored on a double to rightcenter by Kailyn Johnson.

Blue Hen pitcher Anne Marie Pagano settled down to retire the next two Nittany Lions, but Desi Giordano singled to center and Lisa Akamine walked to load the bases. Mary Ostman then worked a base on balls, forcing home Johnson with Penn State’s third run of the frame.

Giordano walked with one out in the third, and she moved to second when Akamine grounded out to Pagano. However Giordano went to third on a single by Ostman and then stole home to give the Nittany Lions a 4-0 lead.

Morgan Long and Bell followed with singles to load the bases, but Pagano got Griffith to bounce out to second to escape further damage.

Johnson opened the bottom of the fourth with a single to leftcenter, and a double by Danee Collett put runners on second and third. Jackie Hill then singled home Johnson, while Collett crossed the plate on a wild pitch. Later in the inning Ostman singled home pinch-runner Shannon Hutchinson to increase Penn State’s advantage to 7-0.

After getting shut down in the first four innings by Akamine, Delaware, which dropped to 2-5 on the season, got on the board in the top of the fifth when Amanda Stacevicz (above) led off by drilling a home run down the leftfield line.

Penn State answered right back in the bottom of the fifth as Bell singled up the middle, went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Griffith, and scored on a double to leftcenter by Collett.

In the sixth Akamine led off with a single, advanced to third on a double by Long, and scored on a single to center by Lauren Rossi to end the game due to the eight-run mercy rule.

Akamine improved to 3-2 for Penn State after allowing one earned run and striking out five in 5.1 innings or work. Pagano, who fell to 1-2 for the Blue Hens, gave up nine earned runs on 16 hits and struck out three.

Delaware concludes play at the Pirate Classic on Sunday when the Blue Hens take on CAA rival Towson at 1 p.m.