LUBBOCK, Texas – Fairleigh Dickinson softball freshman Cassidy Triska delivered a walk-off home run, her first long ball of her career, to give her team a 4-3 victory over Delaware State Saturday afternoon at Texas Tech.
 
The Knights (4-9) hit three home runs in the game, including a solo shot by senior Madison Emerson to make it 1-0 in the first inning, as well as a game-tying two-run dinger by freshman Savannah Thornell in the sixth, setting up Triska's game winning drive over the left field fence.
 
For Emerson and Thornell, the home runs were each their second of the season, bringing FDU's total home run count for the year to seven in 13 games. Four of FDU's six hits in the game were of the extra-base variety, with Triska also hitting a double in the fifth inning. She and Emerson both finished 2-for-3 at the plate to lead the Knights.
 
Sophomore Courtney Mahoney pitched all seven innings to earn her first victory of the season and second of her career. She allowed just one earned run on four hits and two walks while striking out a career-best six batters.
 
Emerson put the Knights on the board with a solo shot over the center field fence in the first inning, but the Hornets (1-20) answered back with a run in the next half inning to tie the game. After allowing the tying run, Mahoney retired 13 of the next 14 batters she faced until giving up a single and a two-run home run in the sixth that put FDU down 3-1.
 
Senior Summer Mendoza led off the FDU half of the sixth with a single to center, and Thornell then tied the game two batters later with a drive over the left field fence.
 
Mahoney only allowed a walk in the Delaware State half of the seventh, and Triska sent the crowd home with her home run to left on a 0-1 pitch.