NORFOLK, VA -- The University of Delaware softball team defeated George Mason, 13-7, and fell to Niagara, 5-4 in eight innings, Saturday at Virginia Wesleyan College on the second day of the Mason-Dixon Classic.

The Blue Hens, who are now 6-4 on the year, scored in five of seven innings against fellow Colonial Athletic Association member George Mason as Delaware scored the most runs in a game since a 14-0 win over St. Francis (PA) on March 28, 1999.

Delaware jumped out to a 3-0 lead after one and a half innings before the Patriots, who fell to 0-14 this season, answered with two runs in the second and three in the third to take a 5-3 advantage. However the Blue Hens responded with six runs in the top of the fourth, and after George Mason scored two in the bottom of the frame to make it 9-7, Delaware tacked on a single run in the fifth and three in the seventh to pull away.

Kim Ovittore pitched the first 2.2 innings for the Blue Hens, while Kelsey Knapp threw the next 1.1 innings and picked up her first win of the season. Carolynn Sloat recorded the save after throwing three scoreless innings. Patriots starter Rachel Hastings picked up the loss after allowing nine runs in the first four innings.

Barbara Traynor (right) led the Blue Hen attack by going 4 for 5 with two runs scored, while Quinn Megargel was 3 for 5 with a double, run scored and three runs batted in. Ovittore finished 2 for 5 with a run scored and two RBI, while Katie DeSalvo was 2 for 4 with a run scored while also knocking in two. Allison Borchers went 2 for 4 with two runs scored and two runs batted in, and Katie Lee was 2 for 3 with three runs scored and an RBI. Michelle Plant finished 1 for 4 with a double, RBI and two runs scored, while Sloat was 1 for 2 with a run batted in.

Dee Murray had a triple for George Mason, while Morgan Wright and Vickie Brill each recorded a double.

In the Blue Hens’ second game of the day, Delaware trailed Niagara 4-0 heading into the top of the sixth but scored two runs to cut the lead in half. With one out Plant and Ovittore singled, and after the bases were loaded Plant scored when Kate Termini reached on an error by the Purple Eagles’ shortstop. Ovittore then scored when Megan Grau worked a bases loaded walk.

In the seventh Lee led off with a single, and one out later DeSalvo singled. After Plant bunted the runners to second and third, Ovittore stroked a two-run double to tie the game. The international rules were used in the extra inning, as the Purple Eagles’ Jennifer Yee was placed at second base to open the bottom of the eighth. After she was sacrificed to third by Tory Healy, Yee scored on a squeeze bunt by Nicole Sum.

Delaware starter Sloat fell to 3-3 after allowing five runs on nine hits while striking out three, while Niagara reliever Tiffany McCrory picked up the win despite allowing all four Blue Hen runs.

Delaware concludes play at the Mason-Dixon Classic on Sunday when the Blue Hens face Brown at 9 a.m. and Norfolk State at 1 p.m. at Lake Taylor High School.

George Mason Boxscore

Niagara Boxscore