DOYLESTOWN (PA) – The Delaware Valley University softball team started its 2018 season with a split on its first day of games in Clermont, Florida as the Aggies defeated Roger Williams University 2-0 before falling to the University of Scranton, 6-0.
 
The first game was a pitching duel through the first three frames with the Hawks (1-3) having the only two hits of the game.
 
DelVal (1-0) got its first base knock in the bottom of the fourth when Maddy O'Donohue laced a lead-off double to the right-center field gap. Two batters later, Jamie Stefani sent a single into right to put runners at the corner for Caitlin Stoner who pulled-off a successful suicide squeeze to score O'Donohue from third and put the Aggies up, 1-0. Roger Williams was able to work out of the rest of the jam, but still trailed by one going into the fifth.
 
The rest of the way Stefani was flawless in the circle, allowing just one more hit in the top of the seventh, but ultimately completing the shutout.
 
DelVal tacked on another run in sixth inning as Dudley worked a lead-off walk and came around to score after a hit and an error.
 
Stefani pitched all seven innings allowing just three hits and striking out seven. O'Donohue led the team at the plate with a 2-for-3 effort and a run scored while Stoner went 1-for-2 including the game-winning RBI.
 
Haley Prechtel was charged with the loss after pitching five innings and giving up three hits and two runs (one earned).
 
The second game saw the University of Scranton (1-0) get out to a 4-0 lead on five hits in the bottom of the third inning. Jennifer Sweeney drove in two runs in the inning with a bases loaded single to the fence in right center while Megan Zinn and Anna Price also had RBI knocks in the frame.
 
The Royals starting pitcher Morgan Rentzheimer didn't allow another hit to the Aggies' (1-1) batters the rest of the day, en route to the 6-0 shutout victory. Rentzheimer finished the day with 10 punch outs.
 
Sweeney led Scranton with a two hits and two RBIs while Mackenzie Duffy and Kaitlyn Brogan also picked up a pair of hits each.  
 
O'Donohue and Stefani had the only two hits of the game for DelVal. Stefani pitched the first two frames giving up one walk and striking out three before being relieved by Julie Burns in the third inning. Burns, in her first collegiate appearance, pitched four innings and allowed five earned runs while striking out two and walking one.