DOVER, Del. (April 15, 2015)-Delaware State pitcher Tara Tursellino struck out six Morgan State batters and allowed five walks, while holding the Lady Bears without a hit in five innings of work, to help Delaware State to a 12-0 win over Morgan State in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game on Wednesday afternoon at the Hornets Nest. It was the first career no-hitter for Tursellino. The game was a make-up from earlier this month.
With the win, Delaware State (11-21, 5-4 MEAC) won the season series, which began April 4, by taking two of three games against the Lady Bears. For Morgan State (3-24, 2-6 MEAC), the loss marked its fifth straight and was the second consecutive conference series loss for the Lady Bears.
The Hornets, who scored 12 runs on 12 hits, wasted no time getting on the board with three runs in the first inning. Delaware State then added six runs in the second and scored three more in the third to take its 12-0 cushion.
Leading 5-0 and with bases loaded in the second inning, Danielle Velez crushed a ball over the center field fence, clearing the bases with a grand slam to give the hosts a 9-0 lead.
Sandy Hawthorne finished 2-for-2 with three runs scored and 3RBI, while Velez was 2-for-3, including a home run, a run scored and a game-high 4RBI. Nicole Gazzola tallied two hits on four at bats and scored three runs.
Morgan State will return home this weekend for a three-game series against Beltway rival Howard at Lois T. Murray Field. The series gets underway with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 18 beginning at 1 p.m. and concludes with a single game on Sunday at noon.
