Dover, Del. (Apr. 10, 2013) --- The Delaware State University softball team has extended its season-best win streak to seven with a doubleheader sweep of UMES on Tuesday.
The Hornets won the first game 10-1 and completed the sweep with an 8-5 victory in the nightcap.
In the opener, Ashley Bennett had two homers and three RBI and pitcher Stephanie Sarris won her sixth straight decision to lead the Hornets.
Five DSU players had at least two hits in the contest. Nicole Gazzolla and Sandy Hawthorne led the way with three hits each.
Delaware State opened the scoring when Bennett smacked a solo homer in the top of the second inning.
The Hornets opened up a 2-0 lead in the third inning. Gazzolla reached base on a bunt single, stole second and later scored on a one-out double by Jess Madrid in the inning.
Delaware State tacked in four runs in the fifth to take a 6-0 lead. Gazzolla scored the first run of the inning when she pulled off a double-steal with Madrid. Samantha Gross singled in a run and Jenn Fischbach brought home a run on a sacrifice fly in the inning.
Bennett hit her second homer of the game, a two-run shot, to highlight the Hornets' four-run sixth. Hawthorne also had a run-scoring triple in the inning.
The game was called after UMES batted in the sixth due to the eight-run rule.
Sarris allowed five hits and one run, while striking out eight UMES batters.
In the nightcap, the Hornets trailed 5-4 before scoring four runs with two out in the seventh inning to take the lead. Madrid started the rally with a one-out double. There were two outs when Hawthorne singled to score Madrid with the tying run. Bennett followed with a RBI single to give the Hornets a 6-5 lead. Delaware State added insurance runs when Fischbach stroked a two-run homer in the inning.
Bennett was 3-for-4 with two RBI, while Gazzolla and Rochelle Sablay had two hits for the Hornets in game two.
Fischbach was the winning pitcher for DSU in the nightcap.
Delaware State is now 12-21 overall and 6-2 in the MEAC.
The Hornets return action at Virginia today.
