Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk State softball found itself in a pitcher's duel against Hartford Friday morning in the Delaware Spring Invitational, but after dropping a tight 3-2 contest in the early going the Spartans then suffered a second loss on the day to host Delaware in five innings, 15-6.

The Spartans had just one hit against Hartford but made it count when freshman Whitney Williams hit a two-run double in the top of the seventh to cut the Hawks lead to one. The Spartans, though, were unable to push across the tying run.

Delaware then pounded out 17 hits in the victory over NSU (6-14) in the next game. Sophomore Alina Moriarty had a big game for the Spartans, belting two home runs and finishing 2-for-3 with two runs and four RBI.

Zuzana Kudernatschova struck out eight and gave up just the two unearned runs on one hit for Hartford (5-9) to gain the victory.

Junior Jamie Schulle pitched well in relief for the Spartans, striking out four in 3.2 innings without surrendering a hit or walk. Sophomore Liz Riley (1-4) took the loss after allowing all three runs, one earned, on three hits to start the game.

Hartford scored all three of its runs in the third, the first on an infield single with the bases loaded and the next two on a throwing error on the Spartans. Kudematschova (3-4) had her no-hitter intact heading into the seventh inning, but a walk and an error put two runners on base for the Spartans. She was one out away from pitching a no-no before Williams doubled to center field to score Moriarty and senior Chelsea Davis.

The Blue Hens, meanwhile, scored four runs in both the third and fourth innings against NSU in the second game of the day for the Spartans and then ended the game in the fifth with six more runs.

Michelle McKinnon (4-for-4, two runs, one RBI), Jessica Grisler (3-for-4, three runs) and Lisa Stacevicz (3-for-4, two runs, three RBI) did plenty of the damage for Delaware (15-3). Shelby Jones hit a three-run home run in the fifth to end the game on the eight-run rule.

The Spartans actually held a 4-1 lead after two and a half innings thanks to a three-run third. An error on Delaware and then a pair of singles by freshman Heather Dunning and sophomore Haley Ward loaded the bases with no outs. After NSU lined into a double play, Moriarty launched a three-run homer to center field.

The Blue Hens quickly answered with four runs on three different RBI hits in the bottom of the third. Ward hit an RBI single in the fourth, and Moriarty opened the fifth with a solo homer to center. Delaware methodically scored 10 runs in the final two innings, with Jones' homer to right field capping NSU's day.

The Spartans will look to rebound Saturday against Hartford at 1:30 p.m. and St. Francis (Pa.) at 3:45.