Delaware Falls to UT Martin, 9-1; Defeats Florida Gulf Coast, 6-4, on Day 2 of FGCU Tournament
February 18, 2012
• Delaware-UT Martin Boxscore
• Florida Gulf Coast-Delaware Boxscore
FORT MYERS, Fla. – The University of Delaware softball team squad dropped its opener on Saturday to UT Martin, 9-1 in five innings, before rebounding for a 6-4 victory over Florida Gulf Coast University as the Blue Hens split a pair of games during the second day of the FGCU Tournament.
During UD’s first game of the day, the Skyhawks (6-3) took control with a six-run bottom of the second inning, all coming after Blue Hen starting pitcher Brianna Jennings retired the first two batters of the frame. Jennings walked the next three batters to load the bases, while Kayla Wade followed with an RBI single to put UT Martin on the board. Leah Taylor then singled home two runs, and after two more runners crossed the plate when Delaware committed a pair of errors on a double steal, Jenny Bain capped the rally with a run-scoring double.
Morgan Lewis opened the bottom of the third with a sole homer for the Skyhawks, while UT Martin added a run in the fourth on an RBI infield single by Bain to extend the margin to 8-0.
Delaware got on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth as Maggie Creciun was hit by a pitch, went to second on a wild pitch, and scored when Michelle McKinnon delivered an RBI single to left. However UT Martin came right back in the bottom of the frame, as Taylor ripped a run-scoring single to drive home Kelsey Dixon and end the game due to the mercy rule.
Skyhawks pitcher Casey Vincent earned her first victory of the season after allowing one earned run on six hits in five innings of work. Jennings dropped to 0-2 for the Blue Hens as she gave up eight runs, five earned, on seven hits in 3.1 frames, while Hannah Rust was charged with one unearned run in an inning of relief.
McKinnon (at left) finished 3 for 3 with the RBI for Delaware, while Gina Knutson was 2 for 2 and Jess Grisler also had a hit.
The Blue Hens, who are now 2-4 on the season, opened the scoring in the nightcap during the bottom of the first when McKinnon legged out an infield single and Lara Andrews followed with a two-run homer to centerfield.
The Eagles (3-5) got a run back in the top of the third when Emily Lanier doubled home Jessica Barnes, but the Blue Hens answered right back during the bottom of the frame when Knutson laced a two-run shot to leftcenter as Delaware went on top, 4-1.
Alicea Coy then led off the bottom of the fourth with a double down the leftfield line, and two outs later Brittney Noons delivered the third two-run homer of the game for UD, drilling a pitch over the fence in leftcenter to make it a five-run game.
The home run derby continued in the top of the fifth, when Barnes and Kelsey Carpenter hit consecutive longballs to pull the Eagles within 6-3. FGCU inched closer in the sixth when Kirsten Bembnowski delivered a solo shot to rightfield, and Chenxi Jiao then replaced Blue Hen starter Kathleen Conway in the circle for Delaware.
Jiao (at right) then retired the final two batters of the inning, and allowed just a one-out single in the seventh to preserve the victory and earn her first career save as a Blue Hen.
Conway allowed four hits, all home runs, in 5.1 innings of work to earn her first victory of the season and improve to 1-1 on the campaign. FGCU starter Morgan Campen fell to 1-1 after she gave up six earned runs on seven hits during four innings in the circle.
In addition to the trio of two-run homers for the Blue Hens, Coy finished with a pair of hits and a run scored, while McKinnon scored twice for Delaware.
The Blue Hens wrap up play at the FGCU Tournament on Sunday with a 9 a.m. game against Saint Louis.
Back To Softball Home Softball Story Archive
