Pleasant playing 
conditions ahead!
 
Photos on right: Instagram shots of better weather in Jacksonville, Florida, than what's back home at the Delaware State University where the forecast for tonight is a low of 33 degrees. Photo posted by Hornet Ashley Bennett.
 
Hornets: Please post more photos of team fun and activities from the Florida trip for delstatesoftball13!
 
You can follow Delaware State softball photos on Instagram at delstatesoftball13. Log in at http://instagram.com

Latest statistics kept 
updated at DSU site
 
Hooked on stats? The DSU softball homepage breaks down the Hornet players and team performances into almost every conceivable situation. 

Here are the links below to bookmark for a 2013 season of ups, downs, consistencies, and trends to watch and measure.

Box scores
MEAC standings
DSU Hornets schedule

√ SEASON STATISTICS

Overall Statistics
Situational Statistics
Games Summary
Category Leaders
Conference-Only Statistics

√ GAME-BY-GAME RESULTS

Game Results
Team Game-by-Game
Situational Game-By-Game
Individual Game-by-Game

√ SPECIAL REPORTS

Miscellaneous Stats
By Position Stats
Game Superlatives
Per-game Stats
AB-R-H-RBI Breakdown
PO-A-E Breakdown
IP-H-R-ER-BB-SO Breakdown
Starter Statistics
Non-Starter Statistics

Next stop: 
Florida sunshine!
 

Dover, De, weather 7:00 a.m., Feb. 28, Thursday morning: wet, rainy, 36 degrees!

 
The Delaware State Hornets are on their way to the Third Annual Osprey Invitational. It's a seven state trek. From Delaware, these Hornets will buzz through Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia to reach Jacksonville, Florida! (CLICK HERE for map of route.)
 
First game tomorrow, Friday, March 1, 12:30 p.m. - Delaware State Hornets vs. St. Bonaventure followed by 5:30 p.m. - UNF vs. Delaware State Hornets.

DSU Hornets on the road again: 
Its Jacksonville, Fl, this weekend
 
The Third Annual Osprey Invitational will be played in Jacksonville, Fl, at the University of North Florida (UNF) Ospreys home field. The UNF Softball Complex is located on campus within the University's athletic complex next to Harmon Stadium.


 √ FIELD: The on-campus lighted field includes home and visitors dugouts with a storage area, an enclosed press box and easy access to the team's locker room, Harmon Stadium's concession stand and restrooms. The field was completed in 1992, the first season of Osprey softball. Batting cages are located behind the home dugout and stand alongside UNF's bullpen. 


 √ GAMES: UNF hosts the Delaware State University Hornets, Princeton, and St. Bonaventure in the tournament. Each team plays two games on both Friday and Saturday, with Saturday's second game being seeded. On Sunday, a consolation game takes place at 10 a.m., while the championship game is set for 12:30 p.m. 

 

Friday, March 1

10:00 a.m. - St. Bonaventure vs. Princeton
12:30 p.m. - Delaware State Hornets vs. St. Bonaventure

3:00 p.m. - Princeton vs. UNF
5:30 p.m. - UNF vs. Delaware State Hornets

Saturday, March 2

10 a.m. - Delaware State Hornets vs. Princeton

12:30 p.m. - UNF vs. St. Bonaventure
3:00 p.m. - No. 2 Seed vs. No. 3 Seed
5:30 p.m. - No. 1 Seed vs. No. 4 Seed

Sunday, March 3

10:00 a.m. - Consolation Game
12:30 p.m. - Championship Game

√ TEAMS: Princeton University Tigers will play its first games in Jacksonville, Fl, of a 48-game regular-season schedule. Along with five freshmen, the Tigers have 14 returners from last year's team. Among those are all three pitchers to enter the circle last season, in seniors Alex Peyton and Liza Kuhn and sophomore Meredith Brown. Peyton is also Princeton's top returning hitter for average, batting .286 last year, along with a team-best seven home runs.

University of North Florida Ospreys host Mount St. Mary's in a mid-week doubleheader today (Wednesday, February 27) in Jacksonville, Fl. The Ospreys are 1-0 at home this season and 2-0 in mid-week games. Additionally, the Ospreys have won their last four games with shutouts in their last three.
 
The St. Bonaventure Bonnies will be playing their fourth tournament of this 2013 season in Jacksonville, Fl. They enter with a 1-12 record. This season's roster is young, featuring just four seniors. The pitching staff includes one sophomore and two freshmen. Only sophomore Julia Pratt has collegiate pitching experience. The remainder of the team includes three juniors, six sophomores and four freshmen.


 √ WEATHER: Weekend weather (as of this writing) is promising with temperatures of 54 – 60 degrees, breezy conditions, cool periods, but also sunny to partially sunny skies. No rain forecast as of the moment.

Virginia trip, 
fun & photos 

Here are a few photos pulled off Instagram (a photo-sharing and social networking service ) that our Delaware State Hornets were posting on the trip down to the Spartan Clash Tournament last weekend, Feb. 23- 24. 

Let's hope the players continue to share these fun moments, especially on the trip this weekend for the Third Annual Osprey Invitational in Jacksonville, Florida!

5 key links to a season 
of DSU Hornet softball 

Click on the "blue" links below to bookmark these sites. Check them regularly for the latest news and information about DSU Hornet softball. Sign up for tweets, “like” the Facebook page, post comments there, and you will be part of the Hornet buzz all season long as the softball schedule now heads into full swing.



1. DSUHornets.com

OFFICIAL UNIVERSITY SITE for Hornet softball for breaking news, statistics, schedule, roster and much more.



2. facebook.com/DSUSoftball
 
FACEBOOK SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE for connections with fans, comments, “likes”, and sharing information with others.


3. dsusoftball.blogspot.com
You are on the blogger page now... 
 
DSU HORNET SOFTBALL BLOG of miscellaneous reports about the players, their games and activities. The blog welcomes comments, observations, photos, and any digital materials about the team at dsusoftball@gmail.com. 



4. twitter.com/DelStSB

OFFICIAL TWITTER PAGE of the Delaware State University softball team. Sign up today for the latest bulletins.

 



5. MEACsports.com
 
MID-EASTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE ATHLETICS homepage: breaking news, weekly recaps, Players of the Week, conference standings, photo gallery, archives.

Fairleigh Dickinson 9 vs. Delaware State 1 / Box score / Play-by-Play
 

Spotlight on 
Jessica Madrid

The Delaware State Hornets' lead off hitter, center fielder Jessica Madrid, started today, Monday's game versus Fairleigh Dickinson Knights, just where she left off yesterday. She slammed a pitch to shortstop and beat the throw to first as the first Hornet to bat in the bottom of the first. The contest was the final game for the Hornets in the Spartan Clash Tournament, Norfolk, Va.,

Jessica would single again, this time up the middle, with a runner on, in the bottom of the fifth, where, two plays later, she had advanced to second and third.
 
Jessica was 2 for 3 on the day. For the tournament, she was 3 for 7 with 2 walks and 1 RBI.

___________________

PHOTO ON LEFT: Jessica Madrid as high school senior, Santa Ana, Calif.

More on Sunday's games 
at DSU Hornets homepage

CLICK HERE for the full story

Pitcher Stephanie Sarris winds up in photo above. Stephanie had 7 strikeouts over 5.1 innings pitched for the day.

Fairleigh Dickinson 4 vs. Delaware State 2 / Box score / Play-by-Play 
Monmouth 5 vs Delaware State 1 / Box score / Play-by-Play
 
Spartan Clash tournament: 
first games' hits and highlights
 

Kelsey Doherty

The Delaware State Hornets dropped two yesterday, though both contests were hard fought battles.
 

Rochelle Sablay

Left fielder Kelsey Doherty went 3 for 6 on the day with 1 RBI (home run!) and 2 runs scored.
 
In relief, pitcher Jennifer Fischbach tossed 4.2 innings, striking out 2, while allowing just 1 hit, 1 walk, and 1 run.
 
GAME ONE: The Hornets made their presence known by scoring early in the second inning of the first game with back-to-back singles against the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights.
 
Catcher Rochelle Sablay started it off with the first hit of the day, a single to left field.
 

Jordan Stamps

Kelsey Doherty next drove the ball to right field, putting runners on first and second. Third basewoman Jordan Stamps then loaded the bases with a bunt that the Knights could not handle. A sacrifice fly by center fielder Jessica Madrid and a Knights' defensive misplay sent both Kelsey and Rochelle across the plate for an early 2-0 lead.
 

Chloe Oro

Lead off Jessica Madrid baffled the Knights throughout the game by reaching base at every official at-bat. Her box score is 1 for 1 for the contest with 2 walks, 1 sacrifice, and 1 RBI.
 
As the first batter up on the day, Jessica walked and advanced to second on shortstop Chloe Oro's sacrifice bunt. In the fourth, Jessica sacrificed Kelsie home. In the fifth, she walked, took second on Chloe's ground out and reached third base behind right fielder Sandy Hawthorne's fly ball.
 

Stephanie Martello

GAME TWO: In the second game, Kelsey grabbed the Monmouth Hawk’s attention in the fourth when she narrowed the score by 2-1 with DSU's first home run of the season. She sent the ball sailing over the left field fence.

Others with hits were Sandy's hard hit double down the left field line in the sixth, where she quickly advanced, but was left straned, at third and first basewoman Stephanie Martello's singled up the middle in the fourth. 

 ____________________

FYI: This blog does not have portrait photos of players mentioned above in bold italic. If you wish to supply a photo for future use, please forward to dsusoftball@gmail.com. If you catch any errors in the story above or just overlooked plays of the game that deserve mention, please also write dsusoftball@gmail.com. Additional photos, videos, comments or materials of any kind related to DSU softball are always welcome.

Field conditions? 
Games pushed back 
to 2 & 4 PM Sunday 

It's “game on”, but just a little later in the day tomorrow, Sunday, February 24, then was  previously planned. 

The new schedule is posted immediately below. See also links to set up for live stats, even video feeds (for a small NSU charge). Any photos, video, and/or comments from those in attendance is very welcome at DSUsoftball@gmail.com (for posting to this blog). 

Go Hornets!

Sunday, Feb. 24  
2 p.m. Delaware State Hornets vs. Fairleigh Dickinson University Knights
4 p.m. Delaware State Hornets vs. Monmouth University Hawks

Monday, Feb. 25
11 a.m. Fairleigh Dickinson University Knights vs. Delaware State Hornets
 
CLICK HERE for updated game times and tournament information.
 
Sunday, Feb. 24: CLICK HERE for live stats of each game.  
(Live video feed also available for a charge on day of game only. See NSU site for details.) 

DSU Hornets are on their way: 
Norfolk tonight, Clash tomorrow!

Weather (right now):

Delaware State University, Dover, DE 
THIS SATURDAY MORNING: Rain! 43 degrees! (Feels like 36 degrees!)
 

Forecast:
 
Norfolk State University, Norfolk, VA TOMORROW, SUNDAY GAME TIME: Partly sunny! 50- 55 degrees! (Feeling like 50- 53 degrees!)

Hornets contribute...
Players off the field, out of classroom, 
volunteer their time to community service
 
Besides busy schedules with classes, homework, and softball, many Hornets find time for giving back with volunteer work. You will find them involved with Special Olympics, beach clean ups, local charities, assisting senior citizens, church activities, hometown sports, and more. Here are just a few of those who serve their communities.
 
#10 Kelsey Doherty (Harbeson, De) has volunteered time with the Special Olympics, elementary school field days and church day care... #8 Samantha Gross (Glasgow, De) has volunteered time with the Special Olympics, American Cancer Society and Middletown Senior Center... #3 Stephanie Martello (Oxnard, Calif) has volunteered time with the Ventura Beach Community Cleanup ... #4 Rachel Meagley (Spokane, Wash) has volunteered time as a vacation bible school teacher as well as work with the Union Gospel Mission... #5 Jordan Stamps (Torrance, Calif) has volunteer time for North Torrance Girls Softball League. 

Left to right, Kelsey Doherty, Samantha Gross, Stephanie Martello, Rachel Meagley, Jordan Stamps

Here comes softball! 
Hornets' first game 
on NSU softball field

The Norfolk State University Softball Field (Norfolk, Va) is a great venue for the DSU Hornets to open the softball season! First pitch is tossed at noon on Sunday, February 24.

NSU softball field

The field for the Hornets' scheduled Sunday and Monday games has bleacher seating for 500 fans and is wheelchair accessible. It provides cinder block home and visitors’ dugouts with bathrooms in both dugouts. The elevated press box serves as the main office for both softball coaches.

An 8-foot permanent fence encircles the outfield and is 200 feet from home plate down the lines and to straight-away center field. An enclosed batting cage is located on the third-base side of the facility. A pitchers’ warm-up area sits in front of a large lighted scoreboard beyond the left-field fence.

CLICK HERE for directions to Norfolk State University Softball field (South Campus Drive, Norfolk, VA)

Season opens on Sunday... 
NORFOLK, VA, TOURNAMENT IS ON, 
GAMES SCHEDULED SUNDAY, MONDAY 

A rainy Saturday forecast has pushed opening day to Sunday, February 24, at the NSU Spartan Clash Tournament, Norfolk, Va. 

Game times...

Sunday, Feb. 24
12 p.m. Delaware State Hornets vs. Fairleigh Dickinson University Knights 
  2 p.m. Delaware State Hornets vs. Monmouth University Hawks

Monday, Feb. 25
11 a.m. Fairleigh Dickinson University Knights vs. Delaware State Hornets

IMPORTANT: These times could change again depending on when the rain stops in Norfolk. 

Fans, parents, friends that attend the tournament, as well as coaches and players, please send photos (or videos, messages, etc.) from or about the games to DSUsoftball@gmail.com to be posted at this blog. Send anything. Everything welcome!

 The DSU Softball Facebook page is at  www.facebook.com/DSUSoftball

 

Hornets fired up! 
Cheering on
DSU softball
 

#5 Jordan Stamps

Good luck this weekend to all the ladies and lets start off the season with some wins on your road to WINNING the MEAC Title this year!!!

A special Good Luck to Jordan Stamps!! We are all so proud of you and wish we could be there to see all of your games but we will be following them online all the way over here in California!!! Go get em!! Do Work!!

GO HORNETS!!!!!

Gary, Nancy, and Garrick Fong
Torrance, CA

___________________

The DSU Softball Blog welcomes support for the team in words, photos, video, etc. from fans, parents, family, and friends. Please send your comments and/or digital materials to dsusoftball@gmail.com.

Weather changing schedule?

This message posted by Coach Savage on DSU Softball Facebook page... 

Click here for AccuWeather.com

Hornets sting! 
Pumped up for a 
power weekend!
 

To the young ladies of DSU softball, Good Luck in the classroom and on the field. DSU Softball "ROCKS". The Fan.
 
Play Hard.... Play smart...... Win!!!..... It's what we do!!!!........ 3000 miles away but there with you in spirit!!!!.......... GO DSU!!! Grandpa Dan
 
Quote: "Somewhere behind the athlete you've become, the hours of practice, the coaches who push you, and the fans who cheer for you, is the little girl who fell in love with the sport and never looked back. Play for her." Linda Lewis/ New York

 __________

Many thanks to those who sent their cheers and encouragement. The DSU Softball Blog welcomes support for the team in words, photos, video, etc. from fans, parents, family, and friends. Please send your comments and/or digital materials to dsusoftball@gmail.com.

 

Weekend preview
Looking ahead to 

Saturday's opponents

The Delaware State University Hornets will open the season on Saturday against two talented teams, both of whom enjoyed winning seasons last year and show up this year with stand-out returning players.

The Hornets, of course, are picked to win their second straight Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Northern Division championship with many newcomers listed among their outstanding balance of East Coast players and a growing contingent of West Coast players.

Saturday's, February 23, game times are...

9 a.m. Delaware State Hornets vs. Monmouth University Hawks
1 p.m. Delaware State Hornets vs. Fairleigh Dickinson University Knights

Venue: NSU Spartan Clash Tournament on the Norfolk State University softball field on the south side of the campus (700 Park Avenue, Norfolk, VA).

A Sunday (2/24) doubleheader amongst these same teams also will conclude the tournament.


Here's a brief look at who the Hornets will meet on the field...

Monmouth Hawks

The Monmouth Hawks are projected to finished fourth in the Northeast Conference coaches poll.

The Hawks are regrouping from a 24-20 season. Last year, Monmouth boasted league-leading statistics with a .440 slugging percentage and 37 home runs.

The Hawks return reigning NEC Player of the Year junior Kaitie Schumacher. who accumulated a .391 batting average (.421 BA in conference), tallied nine home runs (five in NEC play), and 34 RBIs (16 in conference play).

Returning senior Christine Scherr led the team with 10 home runs, 52 hits, and 32 runs. Sophomore Vanessa Cardoza racked up 23 RBIs, 37 hits and 74 assists returns for Monmouth at third base.

Seniors Lauren Sulick and Jordan Barnett return to the mound for Monmouth. Sulick posted a 2.76 ERA in 119.1 innings pitched over 27 appearances, compiling a 13-8 record. Barnett pitched 75.1 innings in 22 appearances

Fairleigh Dickinson Knights

The Fairleigh Dickinson Knights are projected to finish 11th n the 2013 Northeast Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll.

The Knights ended the 2012 campaign with an overall record of 30-20. The Knights ranked high on the NEC leaderboard in several categories, including first in batting average, hits, RBI and doubles, while being one of five NEC teams to finish above .500 overall. The Knights recorded the fourth-highest number of overall wins in the conference.

Sophomore pitcher Megan Reiner set five program records as a freshman last season, including wins (18), strikeouts (170) and batting average against (.171). She led FDU in all major pitching categories, ranked fourth in the NEC with a 2.00 ERA and pitched eight complete conference games with one shutout.
 
Reiner's pitching success will complement the strong senior leadership of Mikayla Fernandez, Maire Shaughnessy and Liz Woidt and sophomore Cindy Zamudio, who maintained the highest batting average of returning players and struck out just four times in 164 at bats last season.

ONLINE PEP RALLY
HORNET FANS, PARENTS, FRIENDS...
 

Please send CHEERS in brief (or lengthy) encouraging WORDS about this weekend's first games of the 2013 season!  If available, include PHOTOS, GRAPHICS,  VIDEOS, etc.  

E-mail to dsusoftball@gmail.com for POSTING RIGHT HERE AT THE DSU SOFTBALL BLOG. Please include name and hometown.

Don't be shy. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU. Shoutout your Hornet pride!
 
Will YOU get it started? Let's go Hornets!

Less than
Two weeks away: 
Florida sunshine! 

Start packing. It is less than two weeks away. The University of North Florida (UNF), Jacksonville, Florida, hosts the Delaware State Hornets, Princeton and St. Bonaventure in the Third Annual Osprey Invitational.  Each team plays two games on both Friday and Saturday, with Saturday's second game being seeded. On Sunday, a consolation game and a championship game takes place.
  
Third Annual Osprey Invitational
March 1-3, 2013 - UNF Softball Complex
 

 

Friday, March 1

UNF softball complex

10:00 a.m. - St. Bonaventure vs. Princeton
12:30 p.m. - Delaware State Hornets 
                        vs. St. Bonaventure

3:00 p.m. - Princeton vs. UNF
5:30 p.m. - UNF vs. Delaware State Hornets



Saturday, March 2

10 a.m. - Delaware State Hornets vs. Princeton

12:30 p.m. - UNF vs. St. Bonaventure
3:00 p.m. - No. 2 Seed vs. No. 3 Seed  
5:30 p.m. - No. 1 Seed vs. No. 4 Seed 

Sunday, March 3

10:00 a.m. - Consolation Game
12:30 p.m. - Championship Game

Scrimmage: 2/ 15/ 2013
Delaware State Hornets vs.
Wesley College Wolverines

Click on arrow below for slide show of 50+ photos. If slide show does not appear below (sometimes it does not!), please try refreshing page, which may be required to do several times. If all else fails, try this link: https://picasaweb.google.com/104968683122714579828/February162013?authuser=0&feat=directlink

Scroll down further for collages of photos.