NEWARK, DE -- The University of Delaware softball team defeated George Mason, 9-1 in five innings, in the opener before the Patriots took the nightcap, 3-1, as the teams split a Colonial Athletic Association doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Delaware Field.

The Blue Hens, who are now 19-18 overall and 4-10 in the CAA, opened the scoring in the first game by pushing across a run in the bottom of the first inning. Katie DeSalvo led off with a single to centerfield, and after she stole second base, she moved to third one out later when Quinn Megargel reached on an error by Mason third baseman Katlyn Winter. Michelle Grap then doubled to deep center to drive home DeSalvo, but Megargel was thrown out at the plate to keep it a 1-0 game.

Cecile Egan led off the second by beating out an infield single, and one out later she came around to score when Caitlin Smith’s single to right got through Patriots rightfielder Meghan Hill. The Blue Hens then put the game away by scoring five runs in the bottom of the third inning.

DeSalvo ignited the rally with a double down the rightfield line, and she scored when Katie Lee followed with a double into the left centerfield gap. After Megargel beat out an infield single, Grap walked to load the bases. Lee crossed the plate when Cecile Egan reached on a fielder’s choice, and Paige Krystofinski then relieved Mason starter Becky Anderson in the circle. Megargel was thrown out at the plate when Kim Ovittore reached on a fielder’s choice, but Grap scored when Smith reached on an error by Patriots second baseman Jenna Lipscomb.

Shanette White then hit a groundball to Lipscomb, but her throw to the plate was dropped by Mason catcher Ciera Jones, allowing Egan to score the fourth run of the frame. Lindsay Novak then was hit by a pitch to force home Ovittore as the Blue Hens took a 7-0 lead.

Megargel and Grap led off the bottom of the fourth with walks, and Egan reached on an error by Winter to load the bases with nobody out. Ovittore then grounded out to shortstop to drive home Megargel, while Grap crossed the plate when Smith grounded out to third.

The Patriots got on the board in the fifth when Hill reached on an error by Megargel and scored on a groundout to first by Alison Bryan, but Delaware starter Anne Marie Pagano (at right) got Shaniqua Steele to ground out to end the game due to the eight-run mercy rule.

Pagano improved to 11-7 for the Blue Hens after allowing just one unearned run on three hits with two strikeouts in five innings of work. Anderson dropped to 12-12 as she gave up seven runs, four earned, on seven hits in two-plus innings in the circle for the Patriots.

DeSalvo led the Delaware attack by going 2 for 3 with a pair of runs scored, while Smith was 1 for 3 with two runs batted in. Grap went 1 for 1 with two walks, two runs scored and an RBI, while Egan finished 1 for 3 with two runs scored and an RBI.

Mason, which is now 16-26 overall and 5-8 in the conference, struck first in the nightcap by scoring two runs in the top of third inning. With one out Bryan walked, but she was forced at second when Steele reached on a fielder’s choice. However after Steele stole second, she scored when Kelsey Mack singled into leftfield. Mack, who went to second on Egan’s throw to the plate, then was driven home on a single to center by Jones.

Mason maintained its 2-0 lead until the top of the seventh, when the Patriots tacked on an unearned run. With one out Steele reached on an error by White at first base, and a single to right by Mack put runners on the corners. Steele then scored when Jones grounded out to second, giving the Patriots a three-run cushion.

The Blue Hens, who did not register a hit through the first six innings against Anderson, mounted a rally in the bottom of the seventh. Allison Borchers led off the inning with a single to rightcenter, and Ovittore followed by beating out an infield single. The runners then advanced to second and third when Mary Ann Magee grounded out to third, and Borchers scored when White reached on an error by Lipscomb. However Anderson struck out Novak and Michelle Kenney swinging to end the game.

Anderson improved to 13-12 after allowing one earned run on two hits with five strikeouts, while Delaware starter Samantha Shawn dropped to 8-10 as she gave up three runs, two earned, on five hits with three strikeouts.

Delaware and George Mason conclude their three-game series with a single game on Sunday beginning at 12 noon.

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