University of Delaware Athletics
Fielding Errors Spoil Home Opener as Blue Hens Suffer 7-3 Defeat to Monmouth
3/1/2013 5:08:00 PM | Baseball
Delaware drops below .500 for the first time this season with a 3-4 record as the Blue Hens are in the midst of a three-game losing streak. Monmouth (2-3) snapped a three-game skid with Friday's victory.
“One bad inning was the difference-maker,” remarked Delaware head coach Jim Sherman about the top of the second inning. “We didn't hit nearly enough and I'm kind of disappointed because I thought we were swinging the bats pretty good.”
The pivotal top of the second inning saw five runs as nine Monmouth Hawks stepped to the plate and the Hens committed two fielding errors. Ryan Hartley's fielding error on a potential bases-clearing double play extended the inning while Brock Niggebrugge's throwing error allowed the fourth and fifth runs to score in the frame.
The Blue Hens out hit the Hawks, 10-9, as UD first baseman Jimmy Yezzo extended his hitting streak to 18 games with a 2-for-4 performance. Zach Lopes and Cameron Travalini joined Yezzo with two hits apiece
Left fielder Steve Wilgus and catcher Kyle Perry led Monmouth with two hits and two RBI apiece. Wilgus slammed his first home run of the season with a solo blast in the seventh inning.
Monmouth's Andrew McGee (1-1) threw the complete-game victory for the Hawks as the southpaw yielded three earned runs on 10 hits and five strikeouts.
Chad Kuhl (2-1) surrendered six runs (three earned) on seven hits and one walk. The junior right-hander set a season-high in strikeouts with eight in the loss and threw a career-long eight innings on the mound.
Monmouth jumped to an early 5-0 lead in the top of the second inning behind four base hits and two UD fielding errors.
Lopes jump started the second inning for Delaware as he dropped a lead-off bunt single down the third-base line and reached second base on a MU throwing error that sailed into foul territory. Travalini slugged a RBI triple to the right-center field gap and brought the Hens to within 5-1.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Travalini collected his second hit of the day with a two-out single up the middle and showcased his speed on Hartley's RBI double down the left-field line as Delaware added one run to cut the gap to 5-2.
Delaware tallied a third run in the bottom of the fifth inning when Niggebrugge lined a leadoff double to right field, advanced to third on a ground out, and scored on DJ Long's sacrifice fly to right field.
Wilgus' one-out solo home run over the right field wall in the top of the seventh inning gave Monmouth a 6-3 lead.
The Hawks tacked on a final run in the top of the ninth inning after Dan Shea collected a lead-off single and was moved to scoring position on a Joe Bamford's sacrifice bunt. Perry lined a RBI single to center field that drove in Shea.
The Blue Hens will look to even the series on Saturday, March 2 when they again host Monmouth in game two of the three-game series with first pitch set for 1:00 p.m. at Bob Hannah Stadium.
Delaware will hand the ball to junior right-hander Dan Gatto (0-0, 3.38 earned run average) while Monmouth will counter with lefty Dan Smith (0-1, 10.29).
