Road Trip Diaries: A Chilly Day in Newark

National College Softball Editor Justin McLeod is on the road throughout the 2022 college softball season, chronicling his travels in a Road Trip Diary. On Wednesday, March 30th, his travels took him to Newark, Delaware, for a midweek clash between the Monmouth Hawks and the hosting Delaware Blue Hens.

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I’d never been to Delaware before this week. I knew a bit about what to expect – some blistery winds, some cold temperatures, and some strong praying for no winter precipitation.

Suffice it to say that I went 3/3 in those categories. There was some strong, consistent wind; definitely some chilliness; and and the praying must have worked – overcast skies never opened and the sun even poked through once or twice.

Besides the weather, there was also softball. There was definitely softball.

Delaware is still a building program, but the Blue Hens are already on the upper tier in the CAA. A quality RPI last season, even in a wonky-ranking year, and some real, cornerstone talent have UD in a good place as they continue to build.

The matchup was also a battle of future conference opponents, as Monmouth will leave the MAAC – where they’ve become perennial NCAA tournament contenders – this summer to join the CAA.

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