Delaware Responds From 12-0 Loss With 11-5 Thumping of Temple as Blue Hens Split Doubleheader With Owls
March 15, 2011
File Photos Courtesy of Mark Campbell
• Game 1 Boxscore
• Game 2 Boxscore
AMBLER, Pa. -- The University of Delaware softball team bounced back from a 12-0 defeat in its opener to post an 11-5 win during the nightcap as the Blue Hens split a doubleheader with Temple Tuesday afternoon at Ambler Field.
The Owls, who are now 9-11 on the season, jumped ahead during the opener in the bottom of the first inning when Stephanie Pasquale drilled a three-run homer to right centerfield. Kristen Marris scored on a wild pitch by Blue Hen starting pitcher Kathleen Conway in the bottom of the second to make it a four-run game, and Temple tacked on three more runs in the third inning. Devynne Nelons drove home a run with a single into left field, while Christina Sykora followed with a two-run double to increase the Owls’ lead to seven.
Anne Marie Pagano then replaced Conway in the circle for the Blue Hens and did not allow any further damage during the frame, but Temple put the game away by adding five runs the following inning. With two runners on base Nelons singled into left field, and Pasquale came around to score on an error by Blue Hen leftfielder Jenny Richards. Sykora then crossed the plate when Rachel Knable reached on an error by UD shortstop Michelle Grap, while Gina Sciarrone capped the scoring by following with a three-run homer to left.
Marris improved to 4-5 after her five-inning no-hitter, walking three Blue Hens while striking out two. Conway fell to 1-3 as she gave up seven runs, six earned, on four hits in 2.1 innings, while Pagano was charged with five earned runs on six hits in 1.2 innings of work.
The Blue Hens, now 7-11 this year, wasted little time in taking the lead during the nightcap, as Richards led off with a double to center and two outs later scored on a double down the right field line by Amanda Stacevicz. In the second inning Delaware loaded the bases on a single by Rachel Jones and walks to Michelle McKinnon and Bertie Lake, while Richards followed by working a base on balls to force home Jones with the second run of the game.
UD continued to increase its lead in the third when Lara Andrews led off with a double and one out later Gina Knutson (at right) drilled a two-run homer to left center, her team-leading fourth home run of the season. Delaware then added three insurance runs during the fourth inning as the Blue Hens continued to build their lead.
Richards led off by reaching on an error by Knable at first base, and one out later a single by Andrews put runners on the corners with one out. Stacevicz then hit a sacrifice fly to center to chase home Richards, and after a single by Knutson again put runners on the corners, Kyle Kristovich replaced Brooklin White in the circle for the Owls.
The Blue Hens would continue to rally against Kristovich, as after Knutson stole second Jones laced a double into left center to drive home a pair or runs. Delaware tacked on another run during the fifth when Lake singled to left, moved to second on a wild pitch, went to third on a single up the middle by Richards, and scored on a single to left by Grap.
Pagano sailed through the first four innings, not allowing a hit along the way, until running into trouble in the fifth. With one out Sykora singled, and after Kayla Cook reached on an error by Jones at first base, Marris stroked an RBI double to put Temple on the board. Ali Robinson then grounded out to shortstop, but two runners scored on the play at the Owls closed to within 8-3. Following two more Temple hits Stacevicz replaced Pagano for Delaware, and Pasquale promptly reached on catcher’s interference to load the bases. However Stacevicz then retired Knable on a pop out to center field to maintain the Blue Hens’ five-run cushion.
After both teams went scoreless in the sixth, Delaware pushed the margin back to eight with three runs in the seventh. McKinnon led off with a single, and after Richards was hit by a pitch, Grap (at left) slammed a three-run homer to left center to make it an 11-3 game. The longball was the first of the season for Grap, increasing her school-record total to 23 career home runs.
Temple closed the scoring in the bottom of the frame when Robinson hit a two-run homer, but Stacevicz then retired the next three Owl batters to close out the victory.
Six Blue Hens recorded two hits apiece during the 14-hit attack, which included four doubles and two home runs. Pagano picked up the win and improved to 2-4 on the season after she gave up three runs, just one earned, on five hits in 4.2 innings of work, while Stacevicz was charged with two runs in 2.1 frames of relief. Brooklin White, who gave up seven runs in 3.2 innings, took the loss for Temple and fell to 4-4 on the year.
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