Blue Hens Use Conway’s Shutout To Defeat St. Francis (Pa.) 1-0 in Opener; Topple UMES 13-2 in Nightcap at NSU Spartan Classic
March 13, 2011
Bertie Lake photo by Chris Permar, Michelle Grap Photo by Mark Campbell
• Delaware-St. Francis (Pa.) Boxscore
• Delaware-UMES Boxscore
NORFOLK, Va. -- The University of Delaware softball team used a four-hit shutout by freshman Kathleen Conway in the opener and a 10-hit attack during the nightcap to defeat St. Francis (Pa.), 1-0, and Maryland Eastern Shore, 13-2 in six innings, Sunday afternoon at the Norfolk State Spartan Classic.
Delaware, which won three of four games during the tournament to improve to 6-10 on the season, pushed across the only run of the opener during the top of the second inning. Gina Knutson led off by drilling a single into right center, and she advanced to third on a pair of sacrifice bunts by Rachel Jones and Michelle McKinnon. Bertie Lake (at right) then delivered a single up the middle, chasing home Knutson to give the Blue Hens the early lead.
That would be all the support Conway would need, as she never allowed more than one hit in an inning. The Red Flash worked a pair of walks in the fourth inning, but Conway got Chelsy Cosentino to pop out to third and then struck out Brianna Garcia swinging to get out of the jam.
St. Francis (6-16) tried to rally during the bottom of the seventh, as Garcia led off by reaching on an error by UD third baseman Amanda Stacevicz. Garcia then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt but Conway would buckle down, retiring Heather Stiglich on a ground out to shortstop and Katie McMellen on a pop out to shortstop to record her first career shutout.
Conway, who struck out 10 batters during five innings of scoreless relief against Marist on Saturday, improved to 1-2 after giving up just four hits while punching out 12 hitters during her shutout. Red Flash pitcher Megan Layne, who dropped to 5-12 on the year, gave up just one earned run on six hits in seven innings of work.
Lake added another single to finish 2 for 3 with an RBI for the Blue Hens, while Michelle Grap (at left) also recorded a pair of singles.
Delaware again struck first during its second game, posting a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. After a walk to Jenny Richards and a single by Lara Andrews, Hawks starting pitcher Amber Corrigan was called for an illegal pitch to put runners on second and third. Knutson would then make Corrigan pay for her mistake by driving a two-run single to center field to put the Blue Hens on top.
However UMES (1-13) would answer right back, as Carmen Gurrola reached on a two-out error by McKinnon at second base and came around to score when Charlise Castro followed with a double to left centerfield. Jasmine James then legged out an infield single, and Castro scored on the play to knot the contest at 2-2.
Then after both teams went scoreless over the next two innings, Delaware took control by scoring six runs during the top of the fourth.
Jones ignited the spurt by working a leadoff walk, and after McKinnon reached on an error, Lake beat out a bunt single to load the bases. Brittney Noons then singled to left to chase home a pair, and after Richards walked to again load the bases, Grap singled home two more with a shot down the left field line. Following a double steal Andrews hit a sacrifice fly to drive home Richards, while Grap crossed the plate when Stacevicz legged out a bunt single.
In the top of the sixth Jones walked with the bases loaded to force home Andrews while McKinnon followed by blasting a grand slam over the left field fence, her first career home run. Stacevicz, who relieved Blue Hen starter Hannah Rust in the circle during the bottom of the third, then retired the Hawks in order to end the game due to the mercy rule.
Stacevicz, who allowed just two hits and no walks while striking out four batters, improved to 4-3 on the season. Corrigan was charged with all 13 runs, 12 earned, on 10 hits to drop to 0-7 on the season.
Andrews led the 10-hit Blue Hen attack by finishing 3 for 3 with two runs scored and an RBI, while Lake was 2 for 4 with a run scored. McKinnon drove home a team-high four runs with her grand slam, while Stacevicz and Jones also scored a pair of runs.
Delaware is back in action on Wednesday with a 3 p.m. doubleheader at Temple.
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