ATLANTA, GA -- The University of Delaware softball team dropped a pair of heartbreakers, 3-2 in 10 innings and 4-3, at Georgia State as the Panthers swept a doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Bob Heck Field.

The Blue Hens, who fell to 15-26-3 overall and 6-13 in the Colonial Athletic Association, were eliminated from contention for next weekend’s conference tournament. The Panthers improved to 32-27 overall and 11-8 in the league while clinching a berth in the four-team tournament.

Delaware struck first in the opener by scoring a run in the top of the second inning as Allison Borchers worked a one-out walk, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Shanette White, and scored on a single down the rightfield line by Katie Lee. However Georgia State tied the game in the bottom of the fourth when Nichole Griffin led off with a single into rightfield, moved to second on a wild pitch, and scored on a two-out double to right by Alison Bradford.

Barbara Traynor led off the top of the sixth with a single into centerfield for the Blue Hens, but she was forced at second when Borchers reached on a fielder’s choice. Borchers then advanced to second on a wild pitch, and after she went to third on a single up the middle by White, Ashley Cowan replaced Madi Gore in the circle for the Panthers. Delaware took the lead when Georgia State first baseman Jessica Gowin could not handle a groundball hit by Lee, allowing Borchers to score the go-ahead run. The Blue Hens had a chance to add to the lead when Quinn Megargel (at right) walked one out later to load the bases, but Gowan got Michelle Plant to bounce into a fielder’s choice to end the inning.

Georgia State tied the game in the bottom of the seventh when Nikki Bradford hit a one-out single to left, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Holly Willis, and scored on a single to centerfield by Danielle Roddy. The game remained tied at 2-2 until the bottom of the 10th inning, when Lily Skelton hit a one-out solo home run to center, her ninth of the season, to give the Panthers the victory.

Cowan improved to 10-8 for Georgia State after allowing four hits in 4.2 innings of scoreless relief, while Gore gave up two runs, one earned, on seven hits in the first 5.1 innings. Sloat, who remained in the game despite getting hit in the face with a line drive in the fifth inning, allowed three earned runs on nine hits while falling to 9-16 on the year.

DeSalvo, Ovittore, and Lee each had two hits for the Blue Hens, while Borchers scored a pair of runs.

The Blue Hens took the lead in the top of the first inning of the nightcap when Katie DeSalvo led off with a walk, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Megargel, and scored on a single to center by Plant. Delaware had a chance to add a second run when Ovittore followed by reaching on a throwing error by Gore, but Plant was thrown out at the plate by Panthers rightfielder Nikki Bradford.

Georgia State tied the game in the fifth inning when Rachel Cunningham hit a one-out solo home run to left off Sloat and took the lead with a run in the sixth. With two outs Cunningham singled up the middle, and after she advanced to third on a single by Alison Bradford, Cunningham scored on a wild pitch by Delaware reliever Samantha Shawn.

The Blue Hens would answer in the top of the seventh inning, as White worked a one-out walk and moved to second on a single to left by Lee. After the runners advanced to second and third on a groundout to shortstop by Mary Ann Magee, Megargel singled up the middle to score both runners and give Delaware a 3-2 lead.

However Nikki Bradford led off the bottom of the seventh with a single through the right side, and she advanced to second when Plant could not field a bunt by Willis. Roddy then beat out a bunt single to load the bases with nobody out, but Shawn got Mary Kathryn Branan to pop out to second. However Griffin singled into leftfield to score Bradford with the tying run, and Cunningham followed with a single to center to plate Willis with the game-winning run.

Cowan also picked up the win in the second game to improve to 11-8 after allowing two hits in two thirds of an inning, while Gore gave up three earned runs on five hits in 6.1 innings. Shawn dropped to 4-8 for the Blue Hens after allowing three runs, two earned, on sven hits in 2.1 innings of relief, while Sloat gave up one earned run on three hits in the first 4.1 innings. Plant went 3 for 4 while Lee had two hits to lead the Delaware attack.

The Blue Hens conclude their 2007 season on Sunday with a single game against George State beginning at 12 noon at Bob Heck Field.

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