Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 NEWARK, Del. – Freshman Liz Riley pitched a three-hit shutout, and sophomore Nikki Jones added a pair of run-scoring doubles to give the Norfolk State softball team a 3-0 win over LaSalle Sunday afternoon at the Delaware Invitational. Earlier in the day, Western Michigan limited the Spartans to just five hits in a 4-1 victory.

Riley pitched 5.2 scoreless innings of relief against Western Michigan in the first game of the day at the Delaware Softball Stadium, then allowed just three hits with five strikeouts in seven shutout innings against LaSalle to help NSU (9-9) salvage its last game of the tournament.

Jones hit a run-scoring double in both the fourth and sixth innings to provide the offense for the Spartans. Jones' hit in the fourth plated sophomore catcher Kathy Cortez, who had reached on a fielder's choice. Her two-bagger in the sixth inning brought home senior third baseman Whitney Holland, who had singled earlier in the frame.

Freshman Alina Moriarty added an RBI groundout in the top of the third for the first run of the game. It was all the runs the Spartans needed to give Riley, who retired 15 of the last 16 batters she faced after Liz Reed tripled to start the third inning. The Explorers stranded Reed at third, though, in their best scoring chance of the afternoon.

Alyssa Bitsimis was the only other runner to get into scoring position for LaSalle (3-13), as she advanced to second base in the first inning off a sacrifice bunt but was thrown out at third trying to take an extra base on the play.

Riley (4-5) has now given up just four earned runs in the last 31.2 innings.

Her counterpart for LaSalle, Alicia Aughton (3-5), scattered eight hits and allowed the three runs, two earned, in all seven innings. Reed had two of the Explorers' three hits in the game.

Holland and junior left fielder Marjorie Pettitt each had two hits against Western Michigan earlier in the day, but Pettitt's fourth inning single to score Holland was the only run the Spartans could muster all game. NSU nearly broke through in the second when Holland doubled and Pettitt singled into left field, but Bronco starter Meredith Whitney escaped without any damage.

Whitney (7-5) gave up one earned run on five hits with five strikeouts in all seven innings. Western Michigan (10-9) chased Spartan starter Jamie Schulle (5-4) with two runs in each of the first and second innings. Riley allowed six hits in 5.2 innings of relief, getting out of jams in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings when the Broncos left two runners on base each time.

Gracie Barstad went 4-for-4 in the game with a run-scoring double in the first for the Broncos. Whitney doubled to the right-center field gap in the second to give Western Michigan a 4-0 lead.

NSU will host Central Connecticut State for a pair of doubleheaders Monday at 5 p.m. and Tuesday at 2 p.m. at the NSU Softball Field.