DOYLESTOWN, Pa. – A pair of grand slams powered Delaware Valley softball to a sweep of Centenary on Thursday afternoon, 10-2 and 9-2, at home.
Game 1 | Delaware Valley 10 – Centenary 2 (5 inn.)
Centenary opened the scoring in the first after two batters walked and Melsky doubled to bring in a run. Tessa Fredericks responded by striking out the next two batters swinging to end the inning. Fredericks earned the win, allowing just one earned run while striking out five.
The Cyclones added an unearned run in the second and later loaded the bases, but the Aggies escaped the inning without further damage.
DelVal answered in the bottom half. With two outs, Laila Murray walked and Amelia Funston singled to put runners on the corners. Taylor Mazzoni reached on an error, allowing Murray to score. Jillian Collins followed with an infield single to tie the game before Kenzie Boyd singled to right, bringing home Mazzoni to give the Aggies a 3-2 lead.
After Fredericks retired the side in order in the third, Madison Donnelly led off the inning with a double to right. Murray later walked, and Funston drove in Donnelly to extend the lead.
The Aggies broke the game open in the fourth. Donnelly walked to load the bases, setting up Tori Bockrath, who blasted a grand slam to left-center to make it 8-2.
Mazzoni was later hit by a pitch and Collins reached to put runners on the corners. Collins stole second, allowing Mazzoni to score on the throw. Collins advanced to third on a wild pitch and came home when Boyd singled through the left side, sealing the 10-2 run-rule victory in the fifth.
Game 2 | Delaware Valley 9 – Centenary 2
Centenary once again struck first in the opening inning. Tronolone doubled and Melsky followed with a single to give the Cyclones a 1-0 lead.
DelVal responded immediately. Collins and Boyd both singled before Fredericks walked to load the bases, setting up Angelina Bresnen, who launched a grand slam to put the Aggies ahead 4-1.
After Morgan Mecham worked a 1-2-3 second inning in the circle, Boyd and Bresnen reached base before Donnelly singled through the left side to score Boyd. Bresnen was tagged out attempting to advance to third on the play.
Centenary added a run in the third, but Bockrath answered with her second home run of the day to extend the lead to 6-2.
In the fourth, Boyd walked and stole second before Donnelly singled to left. With runners on the corners, Bockrath singled to center to score Boyd. Murray then followed with a single up the middle to plate Donnelly and make it 8-2.
DelVal added one more in the fifth when Sienna Cali singled up the middle and moved to second on a wild pitch before Samantha Ratti doubled to center to bring her home.
Mecham allowed two baserunners in the seventh but secured a lineout to end the game and seal the 9-2 win.
With the sweep, the Aggies improve to 11-3 overall. Delaware Valley returns to conference action on Sunday, March 29, hosting DeSales at 12:00 and 2:00 p.m.
