Charlottesville, Va. (Mar. 7, 2010) --- The Delaware State softball team outslugged Columbia 12-8 before falling to host Virginia 9-0 in the Cavalier Classic today.

The Hornets were 2-2 in their four tournament games this weekend.

In the win over Columbia, Janelle Lukens and Rachel Carroll drove in four runs each, while Lukens, Courtney Taylor and Tawny Reeger led the Hornets' 15-hit attack with three hits apiece.

Delaware State opened the scoring with five runs in the top of the first. Lukens doubled in the first run, and Carroll had added a two-run double in the inning.

Columbia scored four times in the bottom of the first to cut DSU's lead to 5-4.

The score held up until the top of the fourth when Andrea Waters smacked a solo homer to give the Hornets a 6-4 lead.

The Lions answered with a run in the bottom of the fourth to pull to within 6-5.

Delaware State added three runs in the sixth, highlighted by Carroll's two-run single, to open up a 9-5 lead.  

Columbia responded with two runs in the bottom of the sixth to make it a 9-7 game, in favor of the Hornets.

Lukens gave Delaware State some insurance with her first collegiate homer, a three-run shot in the seventh, to give the Hornets a 12-7 lead. She was 3-for-5 at the plate with two runs scored.

Starting pitcher Amber Coburn (3-0) pitched five innings to earn the win for the Hornets.

In the Virginia contest, senior Nicole Koren shut down the Hornets on six hits to improve to 3-0 on the season. Koren struck out four batters in five innings.

Jordan Reid had two hits for the Hornets.

Delaware State will return to action at the Winthrop (S.C.) Tournament next weekend.