NORFOLK, VA -- Senior first baseman Jenn Joseph (Wilmington,
DE/Brandywine) went 3-for-3 with an RBI and three University of Delaware pitchers combined on a five-hit shutout as the Blue Hen softball team opened its 2005 season with a 6-0 win over Norfolk State Friday afternoon on the first day of the Mid-Atlantic Softballl College Umpires Association Tournament.
Delaware, which served as the home team, opened the scoring in the
bottom of the first when freshman centerfielder Katie Lee (Manassas, VA/Osbourn) was hit by a pitch, stole second and third, and scored when freshman second baseman Allison Borchers (Fallston, MD/Fallston) grounded out.
Senior leftfielder Lauren Gardner (Chelmsford, MA/Chelmsford) opened
the third inning with a single, and after she advanced to second on a groundout by senior rightfielder Kelley Pastic (Centreville, VA/Chantilly), Gardner scored when Borchers reached on an error by Spartans pitcher Natasha Steele. Senior
catcher Randi Isaacs (Slingerlands, NY/Bethlehem Central) followed with a single to plate Borchers and give the Blue Hens a 3-0 lead.
Delaware then put the game away by adding three runs in the fifth. Lee
led off by singling to right field, and after stealing second, she moved to third on a single by freshman pinch hitter Melissa Morris (Millsboro, DE/Sussex Central).
After Morris stole second, Borchers grounded out to score Lee and
advance Morris to third. Morris then scored while Isaacs reached on a two-base error by Norfolk State leftfielder Katie Byrne, and one out later Joseph singled to left to plate Isaacs with the Blue Hens’ sixth run of the game.
That would prove to be more than enough for the Delaware pitchers, who
combined to strike out eight and walk just one as the Blue Hens won their first season-opener since the 2000 season.
Junior Lindsay Jones (South Milwaukee, WI/South Milwaukee) started and
allowed just two hits while striking out four in four innings of work to pick up the win. Sophomore Kelsey Knapp (Leechburg, PA/Kiski Area) follwed with two scoreless innings but after the Spartans loaded the bases with none out in the seventh, she was replaced by sophomore Carolynn Sloat (Ballston Lake, NY/Shenendehowa), who retired the next three batters to preserve the shutout.
Isaacs finished 1-for-3 with a run scored and two RBI, while Borchers
also scored a run while knocking in two and Lee went 1-for-3 with a pair of runs scored.
The Blue Hens were scheduled to open their season at 10 a.m. against
Colonial Athletic Association rival George Mason, but the game was cancelled due to poor field conditions. Delaware will continue action in the tournament on Saturday, as the Blue Hens face Villanova at 10 a.m. on the campus of Norfolk State and take on San Jose State at 2 p.m. on the campus of Virginia Wesleyan College.
DE/Brandywine) went 3-for-3 with an RBI and three University of Delaware pitchers combined on a five-hit shutout as the Blue Hen softball team opened its 2005 season with a 6-0 win over Norfolk State Friday afternoon on the first day of the Mid-Atlantic Softballl College Umpires Association Tournament.
Delaware, which served as the home team, opened the scoring in the
bottom of the first when freshman centerfielder Katie Lee (Manassas, VA/Osbourn) was hit by a pitch, stole second and third, and scored when freshman second baseman Allison Borchers (Fallston, MD/Fallston) grounded out.
Senior leftfielder Lauren Gardner (Chelmsford, MA/Chelmsford) opened
the third inning with a single, and after she advanced to second on a groundout by senior rightfielder Kelley Pastic (Centreville, VA/Chantilly), Gardner scored when Borchers reached on an error by Spartans pitcher Natasha Steele. Senior
catcher Randi Isaacs (Slingerlands, NY/Bethlehem Central) followed with a single to plate Borchers and give the Blue Hens a 3-0 lead.
Delaware then put the game away by adding three runs in the fifth. Lee
led off by singling to right field, and after stealing second, she moved to third on a single by freshman pinch hitter Melissa Morris (Millsboro, DE/Sussex Central).
After Morris stole second, Borchers grounded out to score Lee and
advance Morris to third. Morris then scored while Isaacs reached on a two-base error by Norfolk State leftfielder Katie Byrne, and one out later Joseph singled to left to plate Isaacs with the Blue Hens’ sixth run of the game.
That would prove to be more than enough for the Delaware pitchers, who
combined to strike out eight and walk just one as the Blue Hens won their first season-opener since the 2000 season.
Junior Lindsay Jones (South Milwaukee, WI/South Milwaukee) started and
allowed just two hits while striking out four in four innings of work to pick up the win. Sophomore Kelsey Knapp (Leechburg, PA/Kiski Area) follwed with two scoreless innings but after the Spartans loaded the bases with none out in the seventh, she was replaced by sophomore Carolynn Sloat (Ballston Lake, NY/Shenendehowa), who retired the next three batters to preserve the shutout.
Isaacs finished 1-for-3 with a run scored and two RBI, while Borchers
also scored a run while knocking in two and Lee went 1-for-3 with a pair of runs scored.
The Blue Hens were scheduled to open their season at 10 a.m. against
Colonial Athletic Association rival George Mason, but the game was cancelled due to poor field conditions. Delaware will continue action in the tournament on Saturday, as the Blue Hens face Villanova at 10 a.m. on the campus of Norfolk State and take on San Jose State at 2 p.m. on the campus of Virginia Wesleyan College.
