University of Delaware Athletics
Delaware State Baseball Defeats Blue Hens, 10-6 in Eight Innings, in Route 1 Rivalry
3/7/2012 4:05:00 PM | Baseball
NEWARK, Del. -- The Delaware State University baseball team posted three separate three-run rallies as the Hornets held off the University of Delaware, 10-6, in the Route 1 Rivalry Wednesday afternoon at Bob Hannah Stadium.
The Hornets (7-6) took the early lead in the top of the first inning when Troy Drummond led off with a walk, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and a groundout, and scored when Eddie Sorondo laced an RBI single to leftcenter.
In the third, after one-out singles to leftfield by Cameron Cecil and Ryan Haas, Sorondo delivered his second RBI single of the day to make it a 2-0 game. After the runners advanced to second and third on a wild pitch Blue Hen relief pitcher Nick Alicknavitch got Scott Davis to ground out to third, but the Hornets' Tony Gatto followed by lifting a shallow flyball to center that fell in front of a diving Cameron Travalini to drive home both runners and make it a four-run game.
The Hornets added three runs in the fifth when JP Frey singled to leftcenter to drive home a run, before Nick Arrue was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Cecil followed with a walk to force home a run.
Down seven runs, Delaware (5-8) would begin its comeback in the bottom of the sixth inning by pushing across three runs. With runners on the corners and one out Tyler Powell delivered an RBI double to left to put the Blue Hens on the board, while Alex Maruri followed with a two-run double to make it a 7-3 game.
UD continued to rally in the seventh when D.J. Long (at right) drilled a pitch off the top of the wall in leftcenter for a double to knock home Brock Niggebrugge. Later the Blue Hens had runners on second and third with two outs when Powell hit a groundball to Arrue at third base, but the ball kicked off Arrue's glove and into leftcenter, allowing both runners to score to make it a 7-6 game. Delaware had the tying and go-ahead runners on base following a Maruri walk, but Hornets reliever Tommy Dill retired UD pinch hitter Jimmy Yezzo on a fielder's choice grounder to short to escape the jam.
The Hornets then extended their lead back to four runs by immediately adding three runs during the top of the eighth. Sorondo doubled down the leftfield line to drive home a pair, while Frey laid down a suicide squeeze with the bases loaded to knock in Davis.
The Blue Hens put two runners on base during the bottom half, but DSU relief pitcher Chad Sturgeon got Long to line out to second to end the threat, and the game was then called due to darkness.
Ryan Haas picked up the win for Delaware State and improved to 1-0 after allowing three runs on four hits with four strikeouts in 5.1 innings of work. Dill tossed one and a third frames of scoreless ball, while Sturgeon retired Long for the only batter he faced to earn his second save of the year.
Delaware starter Dan Gatto gave up one earned run in two innings, falling to 0-1 on the campaign. Seven Blue Hens saw action on the mound for Delaware, highlighted by scoreless frames by Kenny Fetchko and Jeff Murray.
Sorondo finished 3 for 4 with four RBI and two runs scored for the Hornets, while Haas and Gatto added two hits apiece. Travalini went 3 for 5 with a pair of runs scored to pace the Blue Hen attack, while Ryan Hartley added two hits and Maruri drove in a pair.
Delaware opens Colonial Athletic Association play with a three-game series at Old Dominion this weekend, beginning with a 6 p.m. game on Friday in Norfolk, Va.
