BALTIMORE, Md. - The Delaware State University softball team wrapped up their season series against Morgan State with a sweep Saturday afternoon at MSU's Lois T. Murray Field with doubleheader victories of 8-1 and 4-1. The Hornets (16-11-1; 6-0 MEAC) have won nine straight games and 11 of their last 12, with a tie coming at Delaware.
In the first game of the doubleheader, the Hornets scored at least one run in all but two innings en route to the 8-1 victory. Senior Jordan Reid (Accokeek, Md.) reached base to lead off the game on a throwing error by pitcher Amber Bachman and rounded the bases to score for Delaware State.
The Lady Bears (7-16; 1-5 MEAC) responded in the bottom of the frame, scoring one run off of a single and stolen base from senior Devina Brown.
The Hornets manufactured two more runs in the second inning as freshman Bria Green (Wheatley Heights, Md.) led off with a double and eventually scored on a single through the left side from junior Skye Boris (Magnolia, Del.). Senior Rachel Carroll (Oxnard, Calif.) followed with a walk and made her way around the bases and scored on a groundout from fellow senior Leslie Pleasanton (Smyrna, Del.).
Morgan State held DSU scoreless in the top of the third, but the Hornets responded in the fourth with two runs on three hits. Pleasanton recorded another RBI with a single to left center to score Carroll and then scored her own run as Reid tripled down the right field line to give Del State a 5-1 lead.
The Hornets tacked on another three runs in the next two frames before being held scoreless in the top of the seventh.
Sophomore Rachel Meagley (Spokane, Wash.) picked up her third win of the season to move to 3-0 as she pitched another 6.0 strong innings, giving up one run (earned), five hits and three walks while striking out five. Green relieved Meagley in the seventh and recorded two strikeouts.
Bachman fell to 3-6 for the Lady Bears as she gave up nine hits, seven runs (five earned) and two walks with two strikeouts in 5.0 innings.
Morgan State seemed as though they would salvage a game in the series during the nightcap before the Hornets scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning to take the 4-1 win.
Reid once again produced the first run of the game, reaching base on a hit by pitch, stealing second, moving to third on sac bunt from senior Tawny Reeger (Simi Valley, Calif.) and scoring on a passed ball.
The Lady Bears tied things in the bottom of the frame, with Amber Frame scoring on a double to right center from Danielle Lugo. MSU looked to add more runs in the third inning, but left three runners stranded to end the stanza.
Morgan State threatened again in the bottom of the sixth, with Lydia Walther-Rodriguez leading off with a single to left center and eventually scoring what appeared to be the go-ahead run. However, the home plate umpired called Walther-Rodriguez out as she left third base early, thus ending the inning and keeping things tied at 1-1.
The play sparked the Hornets, who scored three runs on four hits in the top of the seventh to take the 4-1 win. Sophomore Ashlyn Campbell (Trabuco Canyon, Calif.) led off the inning with a single through the left side and was then replaced on the base paths by speedy junior Kelsey Lewis (Mt. Sinai, N.Y.). Reid then doubled down the left field line and the two scored with a double to right center from sophomore Stephanie Martello (Oxnard, Calif.).
Freshman Taylor Pattillo (Chambersburg, Pa.) pinch-ran for Martello and scored the fourth and final run for Del State on a single from senior Casey Beighley (Los Angeles, Calif.).
Campbell started the game in the circle for the Hornets and went 5.0 innings, giving up five hits, one run (earned) and three walks while striking out one. Green earned the first win of her career, going 1.1 innings and giving up just one hit and one walk.
MSU junior Jordan Eades fell to 4-8 on the year, going 7.0 innings and giving up 10 hits, four runs (all earned) and one walk in addition to three strikeouts.
Reid went 4-for-7 on the day, with four runs scored, one RBI, two triples, a double and two stolen bases. Martello went 5-for-8 with a double and two RBI while Green was 3-for-7 with a double, two runs and an RBI.
Walther-Rodriguez was 5-for-6 for the Lady Bears.
The Hornets return home next weekend to host MEAC-foe Coppin State on Saturday and Sunday at the Hornets' Nest.
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