GREENVILLE, NC -- The University of Delaware opened the 2006 season by knocking off host East Carolina and Fairfield in first day action at the Pirate Clash hosted by East Carolina University Friday afternoon.

The Blue Hens (2-0), off to their best start since jumping out to a 4-0 mark in 1997, defeated East Carolina 6-1 in the opening game and came back to edge Fairfield 3-2 in the second game. The three-day tournament resumes Saturday with the Hens taking on Liberty at 11 a.m. and Longwood at 1 p.m. The tournament championships will be held Sunday.

Delaware knocked the host Pirates off 6-1 in the opener, breaking a 1-1 tie with two runs in the sixth and three more in the seventh to make a winner out of starter Carolynn Sloat (1-0), who struck out six batters and allowed just six hits. Delaware defeated ECU (10-5) for just the third time in 16 all-time meetings and snapped a streak of five straight losses against ECU.

The Blue Hens banged out 10 hits in the opener as freshman shortstop Kim Ovittore (Lauralton Hall/Bethel, CT - at right) enjoyed an outstanding collegiate debut, going 2 for 4 with three runs batted in and a home run. Third baseman Michelle Plant also went 2 for 4 with a double and outfielder Katie Lee went 2 for 3 with a triple and an RBI. Krista Jessup went 3 for 4 with a double for the Pirates.

East Carolina took a 1-0 lead on a sacrifice fly in the second inning but the Hens came back to tie the score at 1-1 in the fifth when catcher Quinn Megargel singled, went to second on a sacrifice by Megan Grau, and scored on an error. The Hens took the lead for good in the sixth on Ovittore’s two-run home run and added three insurance runs in the seventh thanks to an RBI triple by Lee.

In the second game, the Hens scored twice in the fourth to take the lead and added another run in the fifth to break a 2-2 tie and pick up the hard-fought victory. Lindsay Jones (1-0) went six innings and struck out four in the circle to get the win with Kelsey Knapp pitching a perfect seventh inning for the save. Plant went 2 for 2 with a double and a run scored.

Fairfield went up 1-0 with a run in the first inning but the Hens came back in the second, scoring two runs when Plant doubled with one out, moved to third on a single by Ovittore, and scored on Traynor’s RBI double. Ovittore then scored on an RBI single by Megargel.

The Stags (0-1) tied the game at 2-2 with a run in the fifth but Delaware answered with the winning run in the bottom half of the inning when Plant walked with two outs and the based loaded to score Lee.

East Carolina Boxscore

Fairfield Boxscore