Blue Hens Open 2013 Season With 4-2 Win Over Southeastern Louisiana and 3-1 Triumph Over Southern
February 8, 2013
file photo courtesy of Mark Campbell
• Delaware-SELU Boxscore / PDF
• Southern-Delaware Boxscore / PDF
HAMMOND, La. -- Blue Hen freshman Tori Conrad recorded three hits in the opener while fellow rookie Taylor Curran allowed just one unearned run in the nightcap as the University of Delaware softball team opened its 2013 season with a 4-2 win over Southeastern Louisiana and a 3-1 victory over Southern Friday at North Oak Park on the first day of the Jimmy Johns Lion Classic.
In the Blue Hens’ opener, Southeastern Louisiana opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning when Megan McCollum worked a one-out walk and came around to score when Amber Sather ripped an RBI double to leftcenter.
Delaware looked to get the run back in the top of the second when Conrad led off with a double and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Marisa Newman, but Lions pitcher Kenna Terry struck out Shelby Jones and Lisa Stacevicz to escape the jam. The Blue Hens put two runners on base in the fourth on singles by Conrad and Jones, but Lisa Stacevicz popped out to second to end the threat.
Southeastern Louisiana added a run in the bottom of the fourth when Katie Doyle tripled to rightcenter and scored on a two-out single to left by Logane Fuselier.
But the Blue Hens took the lead in the top of the sixth inning, as an infield single by Michelle McKinnon, a walk to Conrad, and a double steal put runners on second and third with one out. Newman then lined out to third, but after Kaitlyn Breneman worked a walk, Lisa Stacevicz ripped a two-run single to center to knot the game at 2-2. Taylor Bishop then replaced Terry in the circle for the Lions, but she was greeted by Hannah George who legged out an infield single, allowing Jones to score the go-ahead run.
Delaware tacked on an insurance run in the seventh, as Lara Andrews reached on an error and scored when Conrad roped a double to leftcenter. Meanwhile Blue Hen reliever Chenxi Jiao (at right) took over in the bottom of the sixth and fired two hitless innings to earn the save.
Amanda Stacevicz, who missed all of last season with a shoulder injury, picked up the victory in the circle by allowing two earned runs on four hits in five innings of work, while Jiao recorded her third career save.
Conrad finished 3 for 3 with a walk, run scored and an RBI during her Delaware debut, while five other Blue Hens recorded a hit apiece. Terry look the loss for the Lions after she gave up three earned runs on six hits in 5.2 innings.
Delaware took the early lead during its second game of the day against Southern, as Andrews drilled a solo homer to leftfield in the bottom of the first inning. However the Jaguars answered back with an unearned run in the top of the second, as Danielle Jackson worked a one-out walk and scored when Desiree Dawson reached on an error by Andrews at third base.
But the Blue Hens would go right back in front during the bottom of the frame when Conrad led off with a walk, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Newman, and scored on a single to left by Jones. The Blue Hens added an insurance run during the sixth as after singles by Andrews, McKinnon and Amanda Stacevicz, Conrad worked a bases loaded walk to force home UD’s third run of the contest.
Curran would make the lead stand up, as she allowed just the one unearned run on four hits and struck out six while going the distance in her collegiate debut. Andrews finished 2 for 3 with a pair of runs scored to lead the Delaware attack, while Amanda Stacevicz also had two hits and Conrad walked during all three of her plate appearances. Southern pitcher Delphia Holmes took the loss after allowing three earned runs on five hits in five innings of work.
Delaware, which has opened a season with two straight wins for the first time since 2008, is back in action on Saturday as the Blue Hens will take on Tennessee-Martin at 12:30 p.m. Central and Louisiana Tech at 3 p.m. Central on the second day of the invitational.
