JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The bats came alive early Saturday for Delaware State softball (1-2) and pitching was solid as the Hornets defeated St. Bonaventure, 5-2, in the University of North Florida Osprey Invitational for their first win of the season.
Senior Jordan Reid (Accokeek, Md.) led off the game with a bunt single and advanced to second with a sacrifice bunt from fellow senior Tawny Reeger (Simi Valley, Calif.). Sophomore Stephanie Martello (Oxnard, Calif.) walked before senior Casey Beighley (Los Angeles, Calif.) singled to right center to score Reid. On the throw back in, Beighley stole second while Martello stole home to give the Hornets a 2-0 lead to start the game.
Beighley, DSU's starting pitcher, faced three batters in the bottom of the inning, posting a fly out, ground out and strikeout.
In the top of the second, freshman Kelsey Doherty (Harbeson, Del.) singled up the middle and scored off of a double from junior Skye Boris (Magnolia, Del.) to put the Hornets up, 3-0.
With one out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the third, sophomore Stephanie Sarris (Rohnert Park, Calif.) came in to pitch for Beighley and got out of the jam with two straight outs.
The fourth inning went similarly to the second for Delaware State as Doherty singled to centerfield and then stole second. Reid knocked an RBI single to right field as Doherty scored her second run and the fourth for the Hornets.
The Bonnies got on the board in the bottom of the sixth inning as sophomore Ashley Snider led of the inning with a single to center and moved to second off of a single up the middle from junior Hali Enderby. Senior Ashley Nowak loaded the bases with a single to left field and freshman Grace Rooney reached on a fielder's choice. Enderby then scored the first run of the game for St. Bonaventure and sophomore Kacie Strong reached base on a Reeger fielding error. Senior Kristin Sullivan, pinch running for Nowak, scored the second run for the Bonnies on an RBI single from freshman Kelli Rohan.
Sarris got out of the inning as sophomore Lindsay Stowell struck out looking with the bases loaded.
The Hornets added an insurance run in the top of the seventh off of a St. Bonaventure error. Reeger was hit by a pitch to get on base and advanced to second on a wild pitch from sophomore Jen Sansano. A ground out from Martello moved Reeger to third, who scored on a fielding error from Snider, the Bonnies shortstop.
With two runners on in the bottom of the inning, sophomore Ashlyn Campbell (Trabuco Canyon, Calif.) replaced Sarris on the mount. The runners advanced a base with a ground out from Enderby before Campbell walked junior Danielle Frye to load the bases. Campbell got out of the jam and earned her first save of the season as Rooney flied out to left field.
Each team recorded nine hits and two errors on the day.
Sarris earned the first win of the season, giving up six hits and two runs (both unearned) and two walks in addition to striking out two in 4.0 innings pitched.
Sansano moved to 4-3 on the year as she gave up nine hits, five runs (four earned) and one walk while striking out two in 7.0 innings pitched. With the loss, the Bonnies fall to 7-7 on the season.
Reid finished the day going 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI while Doherty was 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
Snider went 3-for-4 for the Bonnies and Rohan was 2-for-4 with one RBI.
Delaware State continues the Osprey Invitational tomorrow with two games. The Hornets face McNeese State (13-6) at 11:15 a.m. and host North Florida (8-4) at 3:45 p.m. Live statistics for the contest are available via www.UNFOspreys.com and fans can also follow the action via the DSU Softball Twitter page at www.twitter.com/DelStSB.
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