University of Delaware Softball Continues To Roll With Doubleheader Sweep of La Salle, 5-1 and 6-4
March 20, 2013
Photos courtesy of Mark Campbell
_lg.jpg)
• Game 1 Boxscore | PDF
• Game 2 Boxscore | PDF
• Photo Gallery
NEWARK, Del. -- Blue Hen freshman catcher Lisa Stacevicz (above right) had five hits on the day including four doubles as the University of Delaware softball team continued its early season success by sweeping a doubleheader from La Salle, 5-1 and 6-4, during a windy and chilly Wednesday afternoon at the UD Softball Stadium.
The Blue Hens, who improved to 19-4 on the year, took the lead in the opener during the bottom of the second inning when Gabby Klecko (at left) legged out an infield single with two outs, stole second, and scored on a single to rightfield by Stacevicz.
In the fourth Tori Conrad singled to right with one out, while Klecko followed by reaching on an error by Explorers pitcher Alicia Aughton. After a pair of steals moved the runners on second and third, Stacevicz ripped a line drive into the leftfield corner, driving home both runners to make it a 3-0 game.
La Salle, which dropped to 9-6, got on the board in the top of the fifth when the Explorers loaded the bases on singles by Kristen Travers and Paige Giunta before Casey Lester was hit by a pitch. Kendra Heyer then drove home a run with an infield single, before UD pitcher Chenxi Jiao retired the next two batters on flyouts to leftfield to escape further damage.
_lg.jpg)
However the Blue Hens put the game away with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth. After Delaware loaded the bases when Klecko singled, Stacevicz doubled and Shelby Jones was hit by a pitch, Klecko crossed the plate on an RBI groundout to shortstop by Hannah George. Stacevicz then scored on a wild pitch by Aughton to close the scoring.
Jiao picked up the win for the Blue Hens and improved to 6-2 after she gave up one run on five hits with four strikeouts in 4.1 innings of relief, before Kiersten Coffman fired a scoreless seventh inning. Aughton dropped to 5-3 for La Salle after being charged with five runs, four earned, on nine hits.
Stacevicz finished 3 for 3 with three RBI and a run scored for Delaware, while Klecko was 2 for 3 with three runs scored.
The Blue Hens quickly jumped in front during the nightcap, scoring three runs during the bottom of the first inning. Jessica Grisler led off with a single to right, and after Michelle McKinnon reached on an error one out later, both runners scored when Gina Knutson (below right) delivered a two-run triple to centerfield. Knutson then crossed the plate when Conrad reached on an error by Explorers shortstop Emily Moran, giving UD the early three-run cushion.
_lg.jpg)
La Salle got a run back in the top of the second when Tristan Musho led off with a single to left, and after moving to third with two outs, she scored when Moran ripped a single up the middle. But the Blue Hens got the run back in the bottom of the third as McKinnon led off with a triple to rightcenter and immediately scored on a wild pitch by Explorers pitcher Mary Cate Scott.
Delaware then tacked on a run in the fourth as Stacevicz led off by drilling a double to center and scoring one out later on a single to center by George. However the Explorers climbed back into the contest in the top of the sixth by scoring three runs. A walk to Musho and a single by Genevieve Gaynor put runners on the corners, while Musho scored when Travers reached on an error by McKinnon at shortstop. One out later Aughton ripped a two-run double to left, pulling La Salle within a run.
Delaware added an insurance run in the bottom of the frame when Stacevicz led off with a double to leftcenter and scored on a one-out triple to right by George. The Explorers put two runners on in the seventh when Musho doubled and Gaynor reached on a throwing error by UD third baseman Lara Andrews, but Coffman struck out Travers swinging to end the game.
UD starter Taylor Curran picked up the win and moved to 4-2 after allowing one earned run on three hits in the opening five innings, while Coffman was charged with three runs, two earned, on three hits in the final two frames. Scott dropped to 3-2 for La Salle as she gave up six runs, four earned, on nine hits.
Knutson had two triples, two RBI and a run scored for the Blue Hens during the nightcap, Stacevicz added two doubles while scoring twice, and George was 2 for 3 with a pair of RBI.
Delaware opens Colonial Athletic Association play on Saturday with a 4 p.m. single game at Drexel, before the teams play a doubleheader on Sunday beginning at 12 noon.
