NEWARK, Del. -- Despite getting a pair of strong pitching efforts, the Cornell softball bats fell largely silent on their way to an 0-2 Sunday afternoon at the Blue Hen Classic at UD Softball Stadium. The Big Red fell to 5-8 on the year with a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Villanova before dropping a 2-0 contest to host Delaware.

Game 1
Villanova scored three runs in the fifth to overcome a 2-0 deficit and then held on for a 3-2 victory.The win gave the Wildcats a two-game weekend sweep of the Big Red.

Lisa Nelson took the hard-luck loss, surrendering all three runs but scattering eight hits with seven strikeouts in a complete game. Madeline Avery, Tori Togashi and Bridgette Rooney each had two hits in the loss, with Togashi driving in a run with a two-out single in the first. The Big Red plated its second run of the day in the fifth, taking advantage of a throwing error after a hit batter and single by Rebecca Kubena.

Game 2
The Big Red offense couldn't come alive in the nightcap, collecting just three hits to squander an impressive outing in the circle by Katie Lew.

The sophomore hurler went the distance, allowing just eight hits and two runs in falling to 3-4 on the year. She was also let down by a defense that committed three errors.

Megan Murray and Rebecca Kubena both went 1-for-3 with a double and Kate Jencarelli added a hit. In general, Cornell couldn't solve Sarah Piening, who improved to 4-8 on the season with a three-hit complete-game shutout.