NEWARK, DE -- The University of Delaware softball team used strong pitching by Carolynn Sloat and Lindsay Jones and clutch hitting from Katie Lee (right) to sweep a doubleheader from Towson, 2-1 and 2-1, Friday afternoon at Delaware Field.

The Blue Hens, who improved to 27-13 overall and 6-5 in the Colonial Athletic Association after the sweep, took the lead in the opener in the bottom of the second inning. With one out Quinn Megargel reached on an error by Towson second baseman Angie Hess, and Marianne Marinella followed with a single. One out later Kate Termini doubled off the leftfield fence to score Megargel with the first run of the game, but Marinella was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.

The Tigers, who fell to 19-22 overall and 3-8 in the conference, tied the game with a run in the top of the fifth. Keely Walsh led off the frame by tripling to leftfield, and Stephanie Fudurich followed with a single to right to knot the game at 1-1.

The game remained that way until the bottom of the seventh, when Megargel led off with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Marinella. Pinch-hitter Jenny Gilkins then singled up the middle to move Megargel to third, and Termini followed with a walk to load the bases with one out. Lee then singled through the right side of the infield to score Megargel with the winning run.

Sloat improved to 15-9 on the season as she allowed one run on seven hits while striking out four batters. Towson starter Jillian Kiley fell to 8-10 after giving up two runs, one earned, on eight hits with four strikeouts.

The nightcap remained scoreless until the bottom of the fourth, when the Blue Hens pushed across two runs. Kim Ovittore led off the inning with a double to left, and two outs later she advanced to third on an infield single by Jessica Kozlowski. After a walk to Termini loaded the bases, Lee singled up the middle to plate Ovittore and Kozlowski.

The Tigers got a run back in the fifth when Emily Gould hit a solo home run and mounted a rally in the seventh when Towson had runners on the corners with one out. However Jones got Hess to hit a groundball to Blue Hen second baseman Allison Borchers, who tagged the runner and threw to first to complete the double play and end the game.

Jones improved to 11-4 after giving up one earned run on seven hits while striking out two and not walking a batter. Towson starter Jessica Fisher fell to 10-11 as she allowed two earned runs on five hits while striking out 10 batters.

Delaware and Towson conclude their weekend series Saturday with a single game at Delaware Field beginning at 12 noon.

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