University of Delaware Athletics
Delaware Can't Overcome Rocky Start, Falls to Saint Joseph's 7-2 to End Three-Game Win Streak
4/11/2012 5:21:00 PM | Baseball
MERION STATION, Pa. – The University of Delaware baseball squad held host Saint Joseph's hitless over the final six innings but could not overcome a rocky start Wednesday afternoon as the Blue Hens dropped a 7-2 decision at the Maguire Campus Baseball Field.
Delaware (17-17), which had won three straight games, fell back to the .500 mark with their second loss to Saint Joseph's (13-20) in eight days. Both teams were held scoreless over the final seven innings thanks to some impressive relief work.
After Delaware allowed the Hawks to score seven runs in the first two innings, the quartet of Luke Alicknavitch, Ken Fetchko, Brandon Hinkle, and Jeff Murray kept the Blue Hens in the game as the relievers held the Hawks scoreless in six hitless innings.
However, the Hens could not manage to score any runs after the second inning and suffered the setback.
The Hens scored in the opening inning but then allowed the Hawks to put up three runs in the first and four more in the second on the way to the win.
DJ Long started the game with a leadoff triple to the right-center field gap and scampered home on Jimmy Yezzo's sacrifice fly to center field as the Blue Hens took an early 1-0 lead.
The red-hot Yezzo, who banged out two home runs and knocked in seven in a 17-8 win over UMBC Tuesday, is 18 of 36 at the plate with 17 RBI over the last 10 games.
Saint Joseph's claimed a 3-1 advantage in the bottom of the first inning when Ryan Pater dropped a leadoff bunt hit down the third-base line. After Pater stole second base and advanced to third on a groundout, Stefan Kancylarz lined a RBI single through the right side.
Greg Kumpel then singled and later reached second as Kancylarz moved up to third base. With runners in scoring position, Kancylarz scored on a wild pitch uncorked by UD starter Matt Soren and Kumpel reached home on a groundout by Kevin Taylor.
Delaware sophomore EJ Stolfzfus, who returned to action Tuesday for the first time since early March due to an injury, reached on a leadoff infield single in the top of the second inning.
After Stoltzfus reached second base on a called balk, he would race to third on Joe Giacchino's single up the middle. Long knocked home Stoltzfus on a groundout as the Hens narrowed the gap to 3-2.
In the bottom of the second inning, Tommy Cunningham drew a leadoff walk and sprinted to third on Chris Hueth's double to right field. After Eddie Palmer walked, Pater sliced a two-run double down the left-field line that delivered Cunningham and Hueth. Back-to-back fielder's choices allowed Palmer and Pater to score and gave the Hawks a 7-2 lead.
Hawks reliever Jimmy Yacabonis (1-2) earned the victory after he held Delaware to two scoreless innings. Saint Joseph's used three additional relievers, Mike Muha, Steven Schuler and Kevin Burum, to hold UD scoreless over the final four innings.
Soren (0-5) suffered the defeat for the Blue Hens after he tossed one-plus innings on the mound and was charged with seven earned runs on five hits, two walks and one strikeout.
Delaware returns to action on Friday, April 13, with the first game of a three-game Colonial Athletic Association set with Virginia Commonwealth at Bob Hannah Stadium.
The Blue Hens will send right-hander Eric Young (3-3, 4.47 ERA) to the mound while the Rams will counter with right-hander Kyle Haynes (2-3, 4.21 ERA) with first pitch set for 3 p.m.
