(Dover, Del.) – Playing at DuPont Field, on the campus of nearby Wesley College, the Delaware State softball team (8-4) shutout the Hartford Hawks (2-7), 8-0, Friday afternoon in five innings behind a season-high 15 hits in the first game of the Hornet Invite.
With this win, the Hornets snapped a two-game skid, while the Hawks dropped their second in a row.
To open the game, Delaware State's Jordan Stamps and Jessica Madrid both RBI-singled to give the Hornets 2-0 lead in the first.
Two innings later with the score now 3-0 after a Rochelle Sablay RBI-single in the previous frame, designated player Tara Tursellino RBI-doubled to left to drive infielder Danielle Velez, who doubled in the previous at-bat. Later in the inning with infielder Chloe Oro at first after a single and Velez still at second, outfielder Nicole Gazzola got in on the action with a single to left field as Velez scored to make it a 5-0 ball game.
In the fifth, same score, the Hornets put the game out of reach, beginning with Gazzola recording her second RBI with a single to right to bring in pinch runner Nkili Matthews from third. Continuing its hot day at the plate, Sablay racked up her second RBI of the day with a single to left field as Gazzola scored to extend DSU's lead to seven.
The Hornets eventual loaded the bases after a Sandy Hawthorne single up the middle, followed by Madrid driving in Stamps with a single to left field to seal her team's third shutout win of the season.
At game's end, five Hornets finished with two or more hits, led by Gazzola going 3-for-4, including two runs and two RBI, whereas Tursellino went 3-for-3 with two runs and an RBI.
Defensively, despite committing three errors as a unit, DSU's Vanessa Ciocatto (4-3) allowed two hits, no walks and tallied three strikeouts in her second shutout win of the season.
Hartford's bullpen, on the other hand, struggled with starter Lexi Wilkerson (1-3) allowing eight hits, five runs and two walks in two innings before getting replaced by Zuzana Kudernatschov (0-2), who allowed seven hits, three runs and a walk.
Coming up, the Columbia Blue & Red will continue the Hornet Invite tomorrow against Leigh (1:15 p.m.) and the Hawks (3:30 p.m.).
