Delaware Drops 9-5 Decision To Sacramento State and 5-0 Verdict To No. 3 Washington at Louisville Slugger Invitational
March 3, 2012
• Delaware-Sacramento State Boxscore
• Delaware-Washington Boxscore
STOCKTON, Calif. –The University of Delaware softball team fell to Sacramento State, 9-5, before dropping a 5-0 verdict to third-ranked Washington Saturday afternoon at Bill Simoni Field during the second day of the Louisville Slugger Invitational at Pacific.
The Blue Hens (3-12) opened the scoring during their first game of the day with the Hornets by pushing across a run in the top of the third inning. Maggie Creciun led off with an infield single, and after she moved to second on a groundout and stole third, she scored on a two-out single to left by Lara Andrews (at right).
Delaware then tacked on a pair of runs in the fourth when Marisa Newman singled to center with two outs and Kaitlyn Breneman followed with a two-run homer to left.
However Sacramento State (7-7) took the lead with a four-run rally during the bottom of the frame. Marissa Navarro scored the first run on a throwing error by Blue Hen relief pitcher Chenxi Jiao, and then Riley Price hit a sacrifice fly to make it a 3-2 game. Kelli Frye then scored the tying run on a wild pitch, before an RBI infield single by Emily McCormick gave the Hornets the lead.
The Blue Hens quickly pulled even in the fifth as Michelle McKinnon led off with a single to left, and after moving to third on a pair of groundouts, scored on a single to left by Alicea Coy. Following a single by Morgan Culver, Marisa Newman was hit by a pitch and Breneman delivered a bases loaded single to drive home Coy and put Delaware back in front, 5-4.
UD maintained its lead until the bottom of the sixth, when Sacramento State scored five runs to take control. Shannon Kaufman ripped an RBI single to tie the game, and one out later Navarro drilled a grand slam to left to account for the final margin.
Hornets relief pitcher Taylor Stroud improved to 6-2 after tossing 2.1 innings of scoreless relief, while Blue Hen reliever Brianna Jennings fell to 0-5 as she was charged with four earned runs on six hits in an inning and a third. Breneman was the offensive star for Delaware, finishing 2 for 3 with three RBI and a run scored.
In the Blue Hens’ second game of the day, the Huskies (18-1) struck first with three runs during the bottom of the third inning. Whitney Jones opened the scoring with a sacrifice fly, while Nikia Williams added a two-run single to left to make it a 3-0 game.
Washington added two runs in the fifth when Jones was hit by a pitch with two outs and Williams followed with a two-run homer to rightcenter.
Huskies pitcher Kasey Stanchek did the rest, firing a three-hit shutout while striking out 12 batters to improve to 5-0 on the season. Jiao went the distance for Delaware, allowing five earned runs on six hits in six innings of work.
Jess Grisler and Andrews each had doubles for the Blue Hens, while Coy added a single.
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