The Delphi Lady Oracles capped off another busy week of play with a win at Northwestern Monday night, 7-5.

Between regularly scheduled games and make-ups from the early season weather, Delphi played a total of six contests the past week, winning at North White 9-8 and defeating Rochester, 4-3.

In between, the Lady Oracles lost at Class 2A defending State Champion Lewis Cass, 10-1, and a pair to a talented Winamac team in a rematch from last year's Regional 12-0 and 10-5.

At Northwestern (11-10), Delphi continued to rely on the red-hot bat of lead-off hitter Kristina Barnard, who has 21 hits in her last 34 at-bats (.618 avg.) over the last 10 games, who went 2-of-4 with a double and 2 RBIs.

Barnard's hot streak has raised her season batting average to a team-leading .463 (sixth-best in the Lafayettearea). She also leads the team in doubles (10, 2nd in area), hits (38), RBIs (13) and onbase percentage (.500).

Brittney Atwood had a strong outing on the mound to earn her eighth win, going six innings and allowing only five scattered hits and just two earned runs. Amanda Schultz relieved in the 7th to earn her first career save.

Erika Hawn added two hits and an RBI, while Brittany Tyner, Brianne Stauffer and Schultz each had singles to account for seven Delphi hits. Kayla Yates, Emily and Leslie Kayser and Tyner each also drove in a run.

At North White

Delphi scored seven runs in the top of the 1st inning, sending 11 batters to the plate collecting seven hits, and were able to hold on to a 9-8 victory last Tuesday night.

After what appeared to be complete domination, the Lady Oracles were unable to get more than two hits in any one inning the rest of the way before giving back seven runs to NW in the bottom of the 6th to narrow the margin of victory.

Barnard again led the way offensively, going 3-for-4 with an RBI, while Yates, Schultz, Atwood, Tyner and Emily Kayser each added 2 hits to the season-high 16 hit performance.

Stauffer and Hawn each had a hit and two RBIs, while Morgan Lavy had a single and an RBI in her only at-bat.

Schultz and both Emily and Leslie Kayser also added an RBI, while Schultz earned the victory on the hill, allowing only three North White hits and just one earned run over 4 . innings.

Against Rochester

Delphi again took the lead in the 1st inning Thursday night following a Barnard walk, a Yates sacrifice bunt, a passed ball and a throwing error by the catcher, which scored Barnard from 3rd base.

Rochester (5-14) took a brief lead, scoring two runs in the top of the 5th inning, before the Lady Oracles tied it at 2-2 with another manufactured run in the bottom of the 5th.

With one out, Leslie Kayser walked and was replaced by courtesy-runner Aspen Wallace, who took second on a sacrifice bunt from Hawn and scored on an RBI-single from Tyner.

Rochester forced extra innings and took the lead again at 3-2 in the top of the 8th inning, before Delphi added two more in the bottom-half of the inning for the hard-fought 4-3 victory.

The Lady Oracles again used a version of 'small-ball' in order to score the game-win- ning runs. Following a leadoff walk to E. Kayser, Delphi then used consecutive sacrifice bunts from both Schultz and Stauffer, which ended up loading the bases with no outs.

Atwood then grounded back to the pitcher, reaching base on a fielder's choice that forced Kayser out at the plate. L. Kayser then hit another groundball to the pitcher, but this time Schultz was called safe on a close play at home with the game-tying run.

Hawn hit an RBI single into right field, scoring Stauffer with the game-winner.

Barnard went 3-for-3 in the contest, with L. Kayser adding a double and an RBI. Schultz had the remaining Delphi hit and earned her sixth victory on the mound in relief of Atwood, who pitched the first seven innings in the hot sun, allowing only six hits and one earned run.

At Cass

A veteran and experienced state championship Cass team (12-5) proved to be too much for the Lady Oracles on Friday night, beating Delphi 10-1 behind strong pitching and excellent hitting.

The Kings pounded-out 16 hits, including six for extrabases, and struck out nine Lady Oracles during the rout.

Delphi's only run came in the top of the 6th, when Barnard led off with a double, took 3rd on a Yates sacrifice bunt, and scored on E. Kayser's RBI grounder to 1st base.

Despite another 3-for-3 effort from Barnard, Cass allowed only five Oracles hits, including harmless singles from both Kaysers.

Against Winamac

Hoping for a measure of revenge from last year's regional loss, Delphi hosted Winamac for a twin-billing Saturday morning but came away short.

The Lady Warriors (19-4) used a stellar defensive effort to again hold the Oracles to just five hits in the first contest, while collecting 13 of their own.

Tyner led the Lady Oracles, going 2-for-3, with Schultz, Atwood and Hawn each adding singles. A bright-spot was that Delphi did not have a batter strike out at the plate in a game for just the third time this year, but Barnard's 9- game hitting streak did come to an end.

The Lady Oracles faired a bit better in game two with 11 hits offensively and actually carried a 4-2 lead into the 5th inning, but Winamac scored three runs in the 5th to take the lead and added five in the 6th to seal the win.

Barnard and Stauffer each went 3-for-4 in the game, while Emily Kayser added a double and Yates, Schultz, Tyner and Leslie Kayser all singled.

Stauffer, Tyner and both Kayser's had an RBI apiece.

Delphi (14-11) will close the regular season this week with Tuesday home games against both Clinton Prairie and South Newton (too late for print), before playing host to conference-foe West Lafayette on Thursday at 5 p.m. The Lady Oracles open sectional play at North Montgomery Monday at 5 p.m. against Fountain Central, with the winner of that game playing again Tuesday at 5.