University of Delaware Athletics
Ninth-Inning Rally Secures CAA Series as Delaware Nips William & Mary, 7-6
4/8/2012 5:15:00 PM | Baseball
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – A ninth-inning rally by the University of Delaware baseball team secured a 7-6 victory over the College of William and Mary and gave the Blue Hens their second-straight Colonial Athletic Association weekend series Sunday afternoon at the W&M's Plumeri Park.
Delaware (16-16, 9-6 CAA) returned to a .500 record with their second-straight victory over William and Mary (22-13, 8-7 CAA) while the Tribe dropped their sixth home game of the season.
Tied entering the ninth inning Jimmy Yezzo drew a leadoff walk for the Blue Hens. Pinch-hitter Eric Young dropped a sacrifice bunt that allowed pinch runner Joe Giacchino to reach second base. After Chris Branigan was intentionally walked, Cameron Travalini lined a RBI single to center field that gave Delaware the eventual 7-6 victory.
Reliever Stephen Richter (1-0) earned the victory after he pitched 1.2 scoreless innings where he scattered one hit, four walks and three strikeouts.
Devon Pearson registered his fifth save of the season as the left-hander eliminated the final two Tribe hitters in the ninth inning.
The Tribe tallied the first run of the game in the bottom of the first inning after Kevin Nutter drew a leadoff walk and trotted to second on Ryan Brown's walk. Stephen Arcure lined a RBI single up the middle that scored Nutter as William and Mary took a 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the second inning, Ryan Williams slammed a solo blast over the left field wall that gave the Tribe a two-run edge, 2-0.
The Blue Hens responded in the top of the third inning when Ty Warrington smashed his first home run over the left field wall. Brock Niggebrugge reached on a fielding error by Tribe shortstop, Josh Mason, and advanced to third on a botched pickoff attempt by W&M reliever, Matt Wainman. Following an Alex Maruri walk, Nick Ferdinand smashed a bases-clearing, two-out double to right field that gave Delaware a 3-2 advantage.
Michael Katz lined a one-out double in the bottom of third inning and scampered home on Bower's RBI triple to the left-center field gap as Wiliam and Mary knotted the game at three.
A leadoff walk drawn by DJ Long in the top of the fifth inning was followed with a Yezzo walk. Ferdinand added a RBI single to left center that delivered Long while Yezzo dashed to third base. Tyler Powell continued the scoring with a RBI single that scored Yezzo and helped the Blue Hens reclaim the lead, 5-3.
Ryan Hartley was hit by a pitch in the top of the sixth inning, advanced to second on a ground out and raced home on Niggebrugge's RBI double down the left-field line as Delaware's lead increased to three, 6-3.
William and Mary knotted the game at 6-6 in the bottom half of the sixth inning. Ryan Lindemuth was hit by a pitch to leadoff the frame and reached third after Josh Smith doubled to right field. Chris Forsten drew a walk that loaded the bases for Brown, who coaxed a walk that forced in Lindemuth. With the sacks packed, Acure lined a two-run, two-out double down the left-field line that tied the game after Forsten and Smtih scored.
A scoreless seventh and eighth frames set up the Blue Hens' ninth-inning heroics.
Tribe reliever Ryan Williams (0-1) suffered the defeat for the College of William and Mary after he allowed one earned run on three walks and two strikeouts while on the mound for two innings.
Chad Kuhl tallied a no-decision for the Blue Hens after he surrendered six earned runs on nine hits, three walks and season-high nine strikeouts in six innings pitched.
Wainman was handed a no-decision after the lefty was charged with five runs (three earned) on seven hits, four walks and four strikeouts.
The Blue Hens baseball team will return to action on Tuesday, April 10 for the first time at home in over two weeks as the University of Delaware will face the University of Maryland-Baltimore County, with first pitch set for 3 p.m. at Bob Hannah Stadium.
