The Delaware State softball team wrapped up its Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference schedule with a convincing 10-1, six-inning victory to secure its fifth consecutive series sweep over Howard on Sunday.
DSU (16-2 MEAC, 23-16 overall) not only extended its season-long winning streak to nine straight games, but its 12-game MEAC winning streak resulted in its highest conference victory total (16) for the Hornets since going 20-3 in 2006.
DelState has all but wrapped up its third straight MEAC North division crown. It owns a three-game lead over Hampton and Norfolk State with one more weekend to play.
Sunday’s victory was sparked by Jordan Stamps’ third homerun of the series which gave the Hornets a 2-0 lead. Catcher Sandy Hawthorne, designated player Rochelle Sablay and infielder Haley Jones (double) drove in a run each in DSU’s four-run third.
Hawthorne, the MEAC’s leader in RBI (46), later added a three-run homer for her team-high third hit of the day.
Pitcher Nicole Brock (10-5) threw a five-hitter to pick up her second victory of the series.
Wesley swept in finale: Wesley saw its regular season come to a tough end when the Wolverines fell to Arcadia, 6-3 in 10 innings and 3-0 in game two.
Nina Marcano went 3-for-5 with a double in game one while Sam Burns recorded a pair of hits. Lindsay Siok (Milford) went the distance, throwing all 10 innings and allowing three earned runs.
In game two, Burns, Ashley Royer, Megan DiRubbio and Breanna Hartman each recorded a hit for Wesley (12-20).
James Madison 11, Delaware 2: The sixth-ranked Dukes pounded out 15 hits as they completed a weekend sweep.
JMU (40-3, 15-0 CAA) took control early by plating four runs in the bottom of the first inning.
Gabby Klecko finished with two doubles, an RBI and a run scored for UD (26-17, 8-7 CAA), while Anna Steinmetz and Alyshia Dellatore added two hits apiece.
Baseball
Hornets split with UMES: Sean McGrath and Travis Dill combined for a two-hitter and Jake Bartlett drove in two runs to give Delaware State a 4-2 win in the nightcap to earn a split in a MEAC doubleheader with Maryland-Eastern Shore on Sunday.
The Hawks won the opener 4-3 in 11 innings.
McGrath allowed just one hit, while striking out four and walking one in five innings to post his team-high third win (3-4) on the season. Dill (Caesar Rodney) threw the last two innings, allowing a hit and one run, to earn his first save of the season.
Jacob Bartlett had two of the DSU’s seven hits in the nightcap. McGrath has 31 strikeouts in his last 22 innings pitched.
DSU left a season-high 16 runners on base in the opener.
Siena 9, Delaware 2: Siena’s Dan Swain led off the game with home run and things didn’t get much better for the Blue Hens.
Siena scored two runs in four separate innings, finished with 10 hits, and took advantage of three Delaware errors and eight walks.
Delaware (24-16), which had a three-game win streak snapped, tied the game with two runs in the bottom of the first, but the Hens could not generate any more offense the rest of the day.
Delaware freshman rightfielder Kyle Baker led the Hens with three hits to raise his team-leading average to .397 while third baseman Diaz (Cape Henlopen) Nardo went 2-for-4.
College lacrosse
WOMEN, Delaware 17, William & Mary 7: The Blue Hens had 11 different players score at least one point as they wrapped up the regular season with a win.
Senior Kara Dattellas and junior Jamie Schwartz led all scorers with five points on two goals and three assists apiece. Sophomore Becky Gohsler and junior Coley Ricci each recorded hat tricks.
The Hens (3-3 CAA, 11-6 overall) is currently fourth in the league standings but they won’t know their fate for the upcoming CAA Tournament until next Saturday.
College golf
Hen men finish 7th: The Delaware men’s golf team finished in seventh place at the Colonial Athletic Association Championship.
The Blue Hens posted a 306 team score during Sunday’s final round, finishing seventh out of nine schools with a 911 three-round total. Delaware sophomore Kieran Purcell carded a four-over par 76 on Sunday as he finished in a tie for 14th place in the individual standings with a 10-over par score of 74-76-76-226.