The Series
In the conclusion of a six-game homestand, the Delaware State softball team (11-14, 4-2 MEAC) – winners of four out of its last five – will welcome the Coppin State Eagles (2-16, 2-4 MEAC) to the Hornets' Nest over the weekend for a crucial Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) three-game series, beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday (1 p.m. | 3 p.m.). The series finale, meanwhile, will be on Sunday at 1 p.m.
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The Opponent
» Coppin State Eagles (2-19, 2-4 MEAC)
After opening the season at 0-15, the Eagles have won two of their last five with each victory coming against MEAC foe UMES last weekend. Earlier this week, however, CSU dropped a doubleheader, 8-5 and 10-2, at UMBC. Despite CSU's slow start, infielder Danielle Smith is having a stellar season, leading the MEAC in batting (.444), which ranks 35th-best in the nation. Smith also leads the Eagles in hits (28), runs (14), doubles (8) and triples (2), while outfielder Alanna Williams leads CSU in RBI (11) and home runs (2). Pitching wise, the Eagles maintain a 9.35 ERA, whereas freshman Megan Narvaez leads the Eagles in wins (2). Fellow freshman Melanie Benge (0-9), meanwhile, leads the Eagles in strikeouts (30).
The All-Time Series
The Hornets are 93-15 all-time against the Eagles, in addition to winning the last 11 meetings. DSU swept the regular season series with the Eagles for the third consecutive time last year, highlighted by averaging 18 runs per contest. The series sweep also sparked a program-best 14-game winning streak. Delaware State's last loss to the Eagles occurred on April 15, 2012 at home by way of a 2-1 defeat.
Last Time Out…
The Hornets returned home for the first time this season last week to take two out of three from the Norfolk State Spartans. DSU opened the series winning, 11-9 and 8-0 (five innings), but dropped the finale by two (7-5). Throughout the weekend, the Hornets batted .420 with 34 hits, five doubles, four home runs and seven walks, led by senior Jordan Stamps (.750). Senior Rochelle Sablay, on the other hand, batted .455 with a team-high eight RBI and five runs scored. Pitcher Nicole Brock (5-4) tallied both wins, in addition to posting a 1.40 ERA with 13 strikeouts. She also surrendered three earned runs and two walks.
Washington Named MEAC Player of the Week
Sophomore standout Vanessa Washington was named MEAC Player of the Week, after batting .455 with five hits, five runs scored, six RBI, two home runs, three walks, 21 putouts and posting a 1.091 slugging percentage during DSU's 3-1 mark last week. Her best game during this stretch occurred in the Hornets' 10-2 win at UMES last Monday, going 2-for-2 with four RBI, two runs scored, one home run and a walk. This honor for last season's MEAC Rookie of the Year marked the first time she's garnered the award in her career, in addition to being the first Hornet to win it this season.
Moving Up the Career List
On DSU's all-time list, senior Sandy Hawthorne is now ninth in runs (100)… Senior Rochelle Sablay is now fifth in RBI (112), sixth in doubles (36) and ninth in home runs (9)… Sophomore Vanessa Washington is now tied with senior Jordan Stamps for the third most home runs (17)… Senior Nicole Gazzola is now fourth in at-bats (579).
Offensive Juggernaut
So far in 2016, the Hornets lead the MEAC in batting (.301) and slugging (.422), while sitting second in runs (125), second in homers (15), fourth in RBI (109) and fourth in doubles (32).
Gazzola The Great
A three-time All-MEAC selection, outfielder Nicole Gazzola passed Catrina Ansbach (2004-07) earlier this season on Sunday, March 6 with a bunt-single to third against UD to become DSU's all-time hits leader with 225. Gazzola already holds DSU's single-season record for most hits (86) – a mark she set as a freshman. The Coram, N.Y., native also ranks in the top five in multiple DSU all-time categories: runs (158), at-bats (579) and stolen bases (84). This season, she sits second in the MEAC in batting (.440) and runs (25), while leading the conference in hits (40) and stolen bases (20).
Washington Aiming for Repeat Success
Utility player Vanessa Washington exploded on the scene as one of the best players in the MEAC last season. As a freshman, Washington batted .387 with a MEAC-best 51 RBI (second most in DSU single-season history), while leading DSU in hits (53), home runs (11 – third most in DSU single-season history), doubles (15), total bases (101) and slugging percentage (.737). With these numbers, she became the second Hornet in as many as seasons to garner MEAC Rookie of the Year honors, in addition to earning Second Team All-MEAC recognition. So far in 2016, Washington leads the MEAC in slugging percentage (.657), along with sitting second in home runs (7). Team wise, she leads the Hornets in walks (9) and total bases (44), while sitting second in RBI (19), second in doubles (5) and fifth in hits (21).
Terror Tursellino
In two seasons, sophomore Tara Tursellino has more than placed her mark as one of the best pitchers in the MEAC. Last year, Tursellino followed up her MEAC Rookie of the Year campaign by tallying the second most wins in the conference (15) in 193.2 innings of work (the most in DSU single-season history) with a team-best 4.63 ERA. She also totaled the third most strikeouts in DSU single-season history (134), along with tossing her first-career no-hitter in the Hornets' 12-0 five-inning at home over Morgan State. Earlier this season, Tursellino was named MEAC Pitcher of the Week, after totaling a season-high seven strikeouts, along with allowing four hits, a walk and no earned runs in five innings of work in DSU's 7-4 victory at UMES on March 19. This feat marked the third time the Moreno Valley, Calif., native has garnered the award, as she won it twice last season. For her career, Tursellino is DSU's all-time leader in saves (9), while sitting third in wins (34) and second in innings pitched (382.1) with 200-plus strikeouts (256).
Queens of the Long Ball
The senior duo of Jordan Stamps and Rochelle Sablay will look to continue their dominance in the home run department in 2016. Last season was the best for Stamps, batting .390 (second best on DSU) in 136 at-bats (third most on DSU) with a team-high 53 hits, 44 RBI (second most on DSU – seventh most in DSU single-season history) and eight doubles (third most on DSU). She also tallied nine home runs, which was the third most in program single-season history. For her career, Stamps ranks third in home runs (17) and sixth in RBI (110) in DSU history. Sablay, meanwhile, connected for two dingers before missing the final 20 games due to a back injury last season. For her career, she is ninth on DSU's all-time list for most homers (11), sixth in RBI (110) and sixth in doubles (37).
General Hawthorne
Manning the backstop for her final season in a Hornet uniform is senior Sandy Hawthorne. Throughout her career, Hawthorne has been an All-MEAC selection each year, including earning back-to-back First Team honors the last two seasons. She has also been one of the most durable players in program history, starting 152 games out of a possible 153 games heading into 2016. For her career, the Smithtown, N.Y., native is three away from becoming DSU's all-time leader in doubles (43). Hawthorne is also second in walks (74), eighth in hits (180), fourth in RBI (110), 10th in runs (100) and ninth in at-bats (505).
The Last Hurrah
2016 will be the final ride for arguably the best senior class in program history in Nicole Gazzola, Nkili Matthews, Sandy Hawthorne, Chloe Oro, Rochelle Sablay and Jordan Stamps. Heading into 2016, they have a combined 78 wins (51 in the MEAC) and two MEAC North Division crowns, in addition totaled 800-plus hits, 600-plus runs, 400-plus RBI, 190-plus walks, 100-plus stolen bases, 110-plus doubles and 30-plus home runs.
2015 in Review
In what was the first season for head coach Amber Jackson, DSU's 2015 campaign was one for the record books. Finishing with a 21-23 overall mark, the Hornets set a program record for most consecutive wins (14), pulled out a six-inning 15-3 victory at the ACC's Virginia and picked up a 2-0 win over Villanova out of the Big East. In conference play, Delaware State went 14-4 to secure its second-straight Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) North Division crown, while six Hornets earned All-Conference honors (the most of any team). Headlining the list of honorees was standout Vanessa Washington garnering Rookie of the Year recognition. DSU, however, saw its season come to an end in the MEAC Tournament with back-to-back losses to No. 2 Bethune-Cookman and No. 3 Hampton after beating No. 4 North Carolina A&T. Despite the loss, the Columbia Blue & Red finished Jackson's first season second in the MEAC batting (.316 - 41st nationally), slugging (.455), on-base percentage (.372), runs (256 total | 5.89 runs per game - 44th nationally), hits (366), RBI (226), doubles (61) and total bases (527).
Fresh Faces
The newbie's for Delaware State this season feature the freshmen trio of Maria Cruz, Alexis Goldsby and Sabrina Quarles, along with the additions of junior Nicole Brock and sophomore Haley Jones. Cruz will serve as the primary backup for senior Sandy Hawthorne behind the plate, while Goldsby will be a part of a four-man pitching rotation. Quarles, on the other hand, will provide depth in the outfield at each position. Brock, a junior college transfer from St. John's River State College (Fla.), is expected to make an immediate impact as a pitcher and shortstop. Jones, meanwhile, will battle for playing time in the infield and outfield in her first season coming from James Madison.
California Love
Eight out of the 14 players for the Hornets this season hail from California: Sabrina Quarles (Artesia), Haley Jones (Orange County), Vanessa Washington (Elk Grove), Jordan Stamps (Torrance), Tara Tursellino (Moreno Valley), Danielle Velez (Chino Hills), Chloe Oro (San Pedro) and Rochelle Sablay (La Mirada). Head coach Amber Jackson is also a native of the Golden State by way of Fontana, Calif.
Tough Road Ahead
Delaware State's opening portion of 2016 will feature 19 consecutive games on the road. Last season, the Hornets played a whopping 35 games away from home to finish with a 13-22 mark.
Hornets Picked to Win the MEAC North
The Delaware State Hornets were picked to win the northern division with 18 first-place votes, in addition to a conference-best seven players (catcher Sandy Hawthorne, infielder Jordan Stamps, infielder Chloe Oro, outfielder Nicole Gazzola, infielder Vanessa Washington, pitcher Tara Tursellino and infielder Danielle Velez) garnering All-MEAC honors. DSU totaled 170 points ahead of Hampton (147), Norfolk State (137), Howard (114), Morgan State (70), UMES (60) and Coppin State (58). Hawthorne, Stamps, Oro and Gazzola were all First Team selections, while Tursellino, Washington and Velez received Second Team honors.
Coming Up Next…
The Columbia Blue & Red will take on in-state foe Delaware next Wednesday in a doubleheader (3 p.m. | 5 p.m.). Earlier this season, the two squads met twice in the Blue Hen Blast, with DSU winning the first contest (4-1), but dropping the second (13-11).
