ASTON (Pa.) – The Delaware Valley University softball team scored five runs in the seventh inning to earn a 5-2 come-from-behind victory in game one of Thursday's doubleheader at Penn State Brandywine. The Lions halted another come-back effort in game two and pulled away late for an 8-3 win and a split.
The Aggies sent Bailey Smith to the circle for the opening game and the sophomore allowed just three hits and two runs through six innings, and DelVal trailed 2-0 going into its final at-bats.
Maddison Donnelly pinch hit to lead off the seventh inning and delivered a single back up the middle. Two batters later, Jillian Ulozas drove home Donnelly with a single, and then advanced to third after a series of missed throws. With one out and Ulozas on third, Sierra Ripka hit a fly ball to center field that plated Ulozas and tied the game at 2-2 with two outs. DelVal loaded the bases with two singles and a walk before Olivia Spofford sprinted home from third on a wild pitch for what would be the game-winning run. Tori Bockrath added a pair of insurance runs with a bases loaded single that scored Kenzie Boyd and Bailey Smith. The Aggies took their 5-2 lead into the bottom of the seventh.
Smith remained in the game and retired the first two batters with a fly out to left and a strikeout. After surrendering a double down the left field line, Smith finished the game with her sixth strikeout of the day as she got Jess James swinging to preserve the three-run victory.
Smith's final line was seven innings pitched with six strikeouts, two earned runs, four hits, and eight walks. At the dish, Smith went 2-for-3 with a run scored while Bockrath and Stine also had two hits and combined for three RBIs. Ulozas was 1-for-3 with a run scored and one driven in.
In the nightcap, the Lions got out to an early lead with two runs on one hit and an error in the first inning.
DelVal got one back in the second when Ripka executed a squeeze bunt with Donnelly on third to make it a 2-1 game.
After Brandywine scored in the second, the Aggies tied the game at three apiece with RBIs from Donnelly and Smith. Carly Mahal pitched in with a one-out double before Donnelly scored Boyd on a single and Smith followed with a sacrifice fly to plate Mahal to knot the score at 3-3.
DelVal left runners on second and third with nobody out in the top of the fourth and the game remained tied into the fifth.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Lions loaded the bases with three-straight singles to start the inning. Rivera followed with a groundout to shortstop that scored a run, but Paige Sammons was able to work out of the jam and keep it a 4-3 game after five.
After the Aggies went down in order in the sixth, Brandywine got two doubles and a three-run home run to blow the game open with an 8-3 lead, and they never looked back.
Boyd pitched four innings in the start and allowed five earned runs on seven hits. Sammons pitched two in relief and allowed two earned runs on two hits. Donnelly was 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored and four other players registered a hit. Boyd was on base twice with a walk and scored a run.
Crystal Cassario, the DP for the Lions was 3-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored while Maddie DeFazio earned the win in the circle with four strikeouts, one walk, and three earned runs against.
