University of Delaware Athletics
Delaware Baseball Drops Finale to #25 Virginia Tech, 5-3
2/25/2013 5:05:00 PM | Baseball
BLACKSBURG, Va. –The University of Delaware baseball team dropped the weekend finale to No. 25 Virginia Tech, 5-3, Monday afternoon at Virginia Tech's English Field.
Delaware (3-3) fell to .500 for the first time during the 2013 season, lost its second-straight game to Virginia Tech (6-1), who was ranked No. 25 in the latest Baseball America poll.
“A very good college baseball game was played, both teams showcased quality pitching throughout the day,” said Delaware head coach Jim Sherman. “Virginia Tech just made some big plays defensively to win it.”
Blue Hen Jimmy Yezzo extended his hitting streak to 17 games with a single in the first inning. Over the weekend the Colonial Athletic Association Pre-Season Co-Player of the Year hit .500 (7-for-14) with two doubles, one triple, two RBI and two runs scored.
Ty Warrington led the UD offense with two of Delaware's six hits in the loss. The sophomore catcher hit .429 (3-for-7) with two RBIand one run scored in two games this weekend.
Tyler Horan and Chad Morgan combined for four of the Hokies eight hits in the victory with two hits apiece.
Virginia Tech's Devin Burke (2-0) remained unbeaten on the season as the righty was charged with three runs (one earned) on six hits, one walk and two strikeouts in 7.2 innings pitched.
Reliever Clark Labitan (S, 3) locked down the save with 1.1 hitless innings of relief with two strikeouts.
Eric Buckland (1-1) suffered the loss for the Blue Hens after the right-hander yielded five earned runs on seven hits, two walks and five strikeouts in five innings on the mound.
Dan Gatto surrenderedone hit, two walks and two strikeouts in three scoreless innings of relief for the Hens.
Virginia Tech took an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning after Kyle Wernicki drew a leadoff walk, reached second base on a ground out and scored on Andrew Rash's RBI single. Horan added a RBI single that drove in Rash for the second run of the frame.
Delaware's Jake Clark jump-started the top of the fifth inning with a one-out double down the left field line. Warrington followed with a RBI single that plated Clark for the Hens' first run of the game. Brock Niggebrugge lined a RBI single up the middle and advanced to second after VT center fielder Rash was charged with a fielding error. After a groundout moved Niggebrugge to third base, a wild pitch uncorked by Burke allowed Niggebrugge to score and gave the Hens a 3-2 advantage.
The Hokies recaptured a two-run lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. Morgan tallied a RBI double while Horan and Mark Zagunis added RBI singles in the inning provided Virginia Tech the eventual game-winning runs in a 5-3 win.
Delaware begins its 2013 home schedule with a three-game weekend series against Monmouth University beginning Friday, March 1 at 2:30 p.m. Blue Hen right-hander Chad Kuhl (2-0, 3.29) will take the mound in the opener as Monmouth has yet to name a starter.
