Blue Hens Fall To No. 3 Washington and Pacific During First Day of Louisville Slugger Invitational
March 2, 2012
• Washington-Delaware Boxscore
• Delaware-Pacific Boxscore
STOCKTON, Calif. – The University of Delaware softball team fell to third-ranked Washington, 12-0, in five innings, and to host Pacific, 6-1, on Friday during the first day of the Louisville Slugger Invitational.
During the Blue Hens’ first game of the day Washington (16-1), the highest ranked opponent in UD history, took control early with three runs during the top of the first inning. Nikia Williams opened the scoring with an RBI single, and after Jerrin Fa’asua knocked home a run with a hit, Williams scored the final run of the frame on an illegal pitch.
Delaware starting pitcher Chenxi Jiao (at right) settled down to fire a pair of scoreless innings, before the Huskies put the game away with seven runs in the fourth. Williams delivered a two-run single during the rally, and after another RBI single by Fa’asua, Kylee Lahners capped the inning with a three-run homer. Washington added a pair of runs in the fifth when Kimberlee Souza ripped a run-scoring single to left and then came around to score on a triple by Williams.
Huskies starter Bryana Walker did the rest, firing a no-hitter during her five innings in the circle. Michelle McKinnon was hit by a pitch in the first inning, while Delaware (3-10) put a pair of runners on base in the third on an error and a walk, but could not push across a run. Jiao fell to 0-3 for the Blue Hens after she gave up 10 runs, eight earned, on 12 hits in 3.1 innings, while Brianna Jennings was charged with two runs in 1.1 frames of relief.
Delaware quickly threatened during the top of the first during the nightcap against the Tigers, loading the bases with nobody out on a walk to Jess Grisler followed with singles by McKinnon and Lara Andrews. Tigers pitcher Dani Bonnet then retired the next two batters, but Rachel Jones knocked a single up the middle to drove home McKinnon and give Delaware the lead.
However Pacific (8-6) would get the run right back in the bottom half against Jennings, as Amy Moore grounded out to second to drive home Megan Hom to knot the contest at 1-1.
The Tigers added a run in the third when Nicole Matson led off with a homer, and tacked on another an inning later when Nikki Armagost delivered an RBI single.
Blue Hen sophomore Kathleen Conway took over in the circle during the sixth inning, but after she walked two batters, Matson blasted a three-run homer to close the scoring for Pacific.
Bonnet improved to 3-1 for the Tigers after allowing one run on seven hits in seven innings, while Jennings fell to 0-4 for Delaware as she gave up three runs, two earned, on six hits in 3.1 frames.
McKinnon and Andrews each had two hits for the Blue Hens while Jones, Marisa Newman, and Maggie Creciun added one apiece.
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