Softball

Gwynedd-Mercy College 4, Delaware Valley 1 (Game 1)
Delaware Valley 6, Gwynedd-Mercy College 5 (Game 2)

DOYLESTOWN (PA) - Kelly Andrews hit a two-out, two-run double in the bottom of the ninth inning as Delaware Valley salvaged a non-conference, doubleheader split with visiting Gwynedd-Mercy College. The Aggies dropped a 4-1 decision in the opener, but Andrews' hit gave them a 6-5 victory in the nightcap.

Delaware Valley upped its record to 13-18 with the twinbill split while the Griffins snapped a 12-game losing streak with their victory in game one and moved their mark to 6-23.

Gwynedd-Mercy took a 5-4 lead in the top of the ninth as, per softball rules, a runner (Megan Shepard) was placed on second to start the stanza. Shepard moved to third on a ground out and then scored on Alexis Bennett's RBI single into right field.

Maureen Ferguson was placed on second to start the bottom of the ninth, but she was later nailed at the plate for the second out of the inning as Robyn Jackson reached on a fielder's choice. Katie Shallcross drew a walk and Christine Yacco came in to pinch-run for her. Both runners moved up on a passed ball, setting the stage for Andrews. The Aggies' leading hitter smacked a 1-0 pitch just inside the third base bag to bring home both Shallcross and Yacco for the come-from-behind victory.

Delaware Valley appeared to have had the second game won in regulation as it held a 3-2 lead in the seventh inning. However, a two-out error gave the Griffins a second chance and Jennifer Smull delivered an RBI single up the middle to tie the game. Both teams traded runs in the eighth as Gwynedd-Mercy scored its tally on an Aggie error while Delaware Valley executed a double steal for its run.

The Aggies used the long ball to score its first two runs of the game as freshman Katie Shallcross hit her first collegiate home run in the third inning and, down 2-1, sophomore Nicole Dorney blasted her fifth round-tripper of the year to begin the bottom of the sixth. Delaware Valley's third run also came in the sixth as Kristin Lup singled and moved to third on the play on a two-base error. She then scored on Fawn Harmer's RBI single.

Kirstyn Ruhling improved to 6-8 on the year as she went the full nine innings and allowed just two earned runs. Dorney and Harmer had two hits apiece in the contest.

Bennett was 3-for-3 while Smull was 3-for-5 for Gwynedd-Mercy. Christina Peoples pitched all 16 innings of the doubleheader and allowed just three earned runs and seven hits in the second game.

In the first game, Peoples held the Aggies to just one run and six hits while picking up her third win of the season. Gwynedd-Mercy struck quickly with two runs in the top of the first as Smull ripped an RBI double and later scored on a wild pitch.

Delaware Valley got one run back in its half of the first as Stephanie Sedeyn and Lacy Miles had back-to-back singles and Sedeyn eventually scored on an RBI single by Dorney.

It stayed a 2-1 ballgame until the sixth when the Griffins put one on the board thanks to a two-out, RBI single by Shepherd. They ended the scoring in the seventh on a run-scoring single by Christine Darah. Darah, Ashley Bowie, Jennifer Smull and Rachel Smull each went 2-for-4.

Andrews was 2-for-3 to pace the Aggies. Nikki Zimmerman took the loss despite allowing just two earned runs in seven innings.