NEWARK, Del. – The Cornell softball team got back on track by splitting an afternoon doubleheader, taking game one from Delaware 5-2 before dropping the nightcap 5-4 on Monday afternoon at UD Softball Stadium. The Big Red moved to 2-7 with the split, while the Blue Hens improved to 11-8.

After getting most of the last two weekends snowed out, the Big Red showed vast improvement in its second weekend out. Cornell controlled game one, then raced out to a 4-0 lead in game two before Delaware came to life, scoring three runs over the fourth and fifth innings for the comeback victory.

Freshman Maddie Orcutt pitched around five walks and three wild pitches to pick up her second career win, going the distance and allowing just one earned run in game one. She struck out four in evening her record at 2-2. Emily Weinberg was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and a stolen base and Meg Parker also scored twice. With the game scored 1-1 heading into the fifth, Cornell took advantage of two errors to plate the go-ahead runs on a two-out miscue. The Big Red scored two more in the seventh for some insurance, then held off the Blue Hens in the seventh despite giving one run back. Murray and Togashi each drove in runs in the seventh to close out the win.

In game two, the Big Red scored three in the first and another in the second, using four hits and an error to open the game on the right note. Parker, Chloe Pendergast and Jessica Bigbie each had RBI singles in the inning, then scored again in the second with a Michiko McGivney double driving in Weinberg, who had her second straight multi-hit game.

Freshman Karlie Mellott had hits in both games of the doubleheader to extend her win streak to nine games to begin her career.

Cornell will head to Mount St. Mary's for four games beginning on Saturday, March 21 at 2 p.m. starting with a doubleheader against Albany. The Big Red will also play a single game against Siena and Mount St. Mary's on Sunday.