Dover, Del. (Mar. 19, 2023) --- The Delaware State softball team cut an eight-run deficit to three, but could get no closer in an 11-7 MEAC loss to Maryland-Eastern Shore in the series finale today. The Hawks won two of the three games in the series to improve to 6-11 overall and 2-1 in the MEAC, while the Hornets fell to 5-12 and 1-2. Kelsie Eckstrom was four-for-five with four runs batted in, and teammate Katelyn Smitchko had three hits and three RBI in five at bats to lead Maryland-Eastern Shore's 16-hit attack in today's game. Joie Raibourn  (2-for-3 and Emma Crowe (2-for-4) had two hits each, while Uxua Lopez drove in two runs for the Hornets. The Hawks opened the scoring with a run in the top of the first inning, and put five on the board in the top of the third to lead 6-0. Delaware State scored its first run in the bottom of the third on a single by Ella Falcetti to cut the Hawks' lead to five.
The Hornets trailed 9-1 before scoring four runs in the bottom of the fourth. Crowe and Britney Phally singled in runs, while Delaware State also scored on a ground out and wild pitch in the inning. Lopez tripled in a sixth inning run and Laila Hasan drove in a run  on a sacrifice fly in the seventh to close out the scoring for the Hornets.       
The Hornets return to action with a three-game MEAC series at South Carolina State next weekend (Mar. 25-26).