DOVER, Del. - The Delaware State
University softball team opened their home slate Wednesday and it wasn't pretty
as they were swept by the University of Albany, 5-0 and 18-2, at the Hornets Nest.
Delaware
State (5-10) held their own in the first game before falling apart in five
innings in game two as the Great Danes (7-5) combined for 28 hits and 23 runs.
Senior
Casey Beighley (Los Angeles, Calif.)
started game one for the Hornets and went a solid 4.0 innings, giving up just
two runs (both earned) and six hits while striking out four to move to 2-3 on
the year. Great Dane pitcher Brittany
MacFawn responded with a scoreless 7.0 innings, giving up five hits and
striking out seven.
DSU
had numerous opportunities to get on the board, leaving two runners stranded in
the bottom of the first and three in the fourth.
With
Albany up, 2-0, Beighley led off the bottom of the fourth with a single and
senior Rachel Carroll (Oxnard,
Calif.) reached after getting hit by a pitch.
Sophomore Ashlyn Campbell
(Trabuco Canyon, Calif.) then singled to left field before the next three
Hornet batters went down in order.
The
Great Danes added another two runs in the sixth as Stephanie Talerico and
Alexia Toole led off the frame with consecutive doubles. Albany posted another insurance run in the
top of the seventh as Smyrna, Del. native Kylie Apostolina homered to open the
inning.
The
momentum exploded in game two for the Great Danes as Albany posted 18 runs on
19 hits and four Delaware State errors en route to the five inning victory.
The
Great Danes recorded at least three runs in each inning except for the fourth,
when the Hornets held them scoreless.
After
Albany took an 11-0 lead, Del State posted two runs in the bottom of the
second. With one out, sophomore Stephanie Martello (Oxnard, Calif.)
homered on a 1-2 count and freshman Bria
Green (Wheatley Heights, N.Y.) followed with a four-pitch walk. Senior Tawny
Reeger (Simi Valley, Calif.) doubled to left center to score Green,
bringing the score to 11-2.
The
Great Danes continued to rack up the runs while the Hornets had no answer.
Green
took the loss for DSU, giving up 14 runs (eight earned) on 14 hits and two
walks while striking out two in 2.2 innings pitched.
The
Hornets host Saint Joseph's on Saturday with the doubleheader beginning at noon
at the Hornets Nest.
---DSU SOFTBALL---
