photo courtesy of Mark Campbell

NEWARK, DE -- The University of Delaware softball team pounded out 18 hits and scored 21 wins to post a pair of five-inning victories in a doubleheader sweep of Delaware State, 10-2 and 11-1, Wednesday afternoon at Delaware Field.

Delaware, which improved to 13-9 on the season, scored its most runs in a doubleheader since also scoring 21 runs against Mount St. Mary’s on March 18, 1997. The Hornets, who fell to 1-20 all-time against the Blue Hens, dropped to 10-13 on the year.

The Hornets struck first in the opener, as Sha Tabor led off the game by doubling off the centerfield fence and moving to third on a single by Nicole Demers one out later. Blue Hen starting pitcher Samantha Shawn then struck out Andrea Waters looking, but Tabor and Demers then executed a double steal to give Delaware State the early 1-0 lead.

However Delaware jumped ahead by scoring six runs in the bottom of the first. With two outs Quinn Megargel (at right) doubled to leftcenter, and she came around to score when Barbara Traynor followed with a single into leftfield. Kim Ovittore then lined a single into left, and she went to third while Traynor scored when the ball got through Delaware State leftfielder Megan Lambertz. Michelle Kenney then walked to put runners on the corners, and Ovittore scored when Demers fielded a groundball hit by Allison Borchers at shortstop but threw wide to second base. After a walk to Michelle Grap loaded the bases, Caitlin Smith was hit by a pitch to force home Kenney with the fourth run of the inning.

Delaware State rightfielder Allison Ruben then dropped a flyball hit by Katie DeSalvo, allowing Borchers and Grap to score and give the Blue Hens an early five-run advantage. Megargel led off the bottom of the second with a triple to center, and one out later Ovittore walked and then stole second. Cecile Egan followed with a single into left to plate Megargel, and after Grap walked to load the bases, Smith walked to force home Ovittore and make it an 8-1 game.

The Hornets got a run back in the top of the third as Aishia Holloman doubled with two outs, moved to third on a single by Demers, and scored on a single by Waters. But the Blue Hens came right back to score twice in the bottom of the inning when Megargel doubled to left and scored on a two-run homer to left by Kim Ovittore. The round-tripper was Ovittore’s first of the season and eighth of her career, moving her into a tie for fourth place on the UD career home runs list.

Shawn then retired the side in order in the fourth and fifth innings, and the game was called due to the eight-run mercy rule. Shawn improved to 5-6 after allowing two earned runs on six hits while striking out five batters and not walking a batter. Waters fell to 2-5 for the Hornets after giving up 10 runs, five earned, on seven hits in three innings of work.

Ovittore finished 3 for 3 with three runs scored for the Blue Hens, while Ovittore was 2 for 3 with three runs scored, two RBI and a walk.

Delaware wasted little time in taking control of the nightcap, as the Blue Hens scored twice in the bottom of the first inning. With one out Katie Lee walked, and after she stole second, she scored on a triple to rightcenter by Megargel. Traynor then singled up the middle to drive home Megargel with the second run of the game.

UD then put the game away by scoring seven runs in the bottom of the second. After Jessica Kozlowski and Borchers each walked to open the frame, Grap laced a double to left to score Kozlowski. Smith then doubled off the leftfield fence to drive home Borchers, and after Egan walked to load the bases, Lee followed with a single into left to plate Grap and put Delaware on top, 5-0. After Smith scored on a wild pitch, Egan crossed the plate when Megargel hit a sacrifice fly to rightfield. Traynor then singled into right to drive home Lee and make it a 8-0 game, and one out later singles by Kozlowski and Borchers again loaded the bases. Traynor then scored the final run of the inning when she crossed the plate on a wild pitch.

The Blue Hens tacked on a pair of runs in the fourth as Grap singled home Shanette White and Smith singled home Kozlowski.

After Shawn and Anne Marie Pagano combined on four hitless innings, the Hornets scored a run in the top of the fifth off Marianne Marinella, who was making her season debut in the circle for the Blue Hens. Ruben singled to shortstop to lead off the inning, and one out later Jessica Chrabaszcz walked and Courtney Taylor singled to load the bases. Ruben then scored Delaware State’s run when Marinella got Tabor to bounce into a fielder’s choice.

Shawn again picked up the win and improved to 6-6 after throwing 2.2 hitless innings, while Pagano also did not allow a hit in 1.1 innings of work. Brittany Ruark dropped to 6-6 for the Hornets after giving up nine earned run on nine hits in three innings in the circle.

Smith led Delaware by going 3 for 3 with two RBI and a run scored, while Traynor and Grap each posted two hits, two RBI and a run scored.

Delaware opens a three-game Colonial Athletic Association series at UNC Wilmington on Saturday when the Blue Hens and Seahawks play a doubleheader beginning at 12 noon.

Boxscore