GREENVILLE, NC -- The University of Delaware softball team defeated Vermont, 2-1, before falling to Fordham, 8-3, as the Blue Hens split two games Saturday afternoon on the second day of the Holiday Inn Express Pirate Clash hosted by East Carolina.

Delaware, which is now 2-2 on the season, scored a run in the seventh inning to defeat the Catamonts (0-9). Barbara Traynor led off the frame with a single, and after Shanette White (right) singled, Katie Lee had a bunt single to load the bases. Allison Borchers then was hit by a pitch to force home the game-winning run.

Vermont took the lead in the bottom of the second when Casey Fleming knocked home Emily Miles. The Blue Hens tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the fifth as Borchers was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

White finished 2 for 3 with a run scored, while Traynor was 1 for 2 with a run scored. Michelle Kenney allowed one run while striking out three in five and a third innings for Delaware, while Carolynn Sloat also struck out three in an inning and a third of scoreless relief to pick up the victory and improve to 1-1 on the season.

The Blue Hens took the early lead in the game against Fordham (5-4) by scoring two runs in the bottom of the second inning. After Quinn Megargel led off with a single, she was erased when Michelle Plant bounced into a fielder’s choice. Following a strikeout Katie Lee doubled to center to score Plant, and Lee came around to score when Borchers
followed with a single.

Delaware added a run in the third as Kim Ovittore singled, moved to second on a single by Kenney, and scored on a double by Megargel. However the Rams took control by scoring six runs in the top of the fourth.

Allison Twarowski led off the inning with a home run off Delaware starting pitcher Samantha Shawn, and three more singles by the Rams loaded the bases with nobody out. Megan Waldron followed with a two-run single to tie the game, and Sloat replaced Shawn in the circle for the Blue Hens.

After an out Gina Capardi singled home the go-ahead run, and one out later Melissa Andrews added a two-run single to make it a 6-3 game. Fordham tacked on two runs in the sixth on an RBI double by Andrews and a run-scoring single by Twarowski.

Borchers and Megargel each went 2 for 4 with an RBI for the Blue Hens, while White was also 2 for 4. Shawn allowed five earned runs in three-plus innings to take the loss and fall to 1-1 on the season, while Niclole Ayres picked up the victory for the Rams despite giving up three earned runs in 2.1 innings of work.

The Blue Hens again face Fordham Sunday at 11 a.m. in the thrid place game of the Pirate Clash.

Delaware-Vermont Boxscore

Fordham-Delaware Boxscore