University of Delaware Athletics
Kuhl?s First Complete Game Leads Delaware Baseball to 7-2 Victory Over Georgia State in CAA Series Opener
3/29/2013 3:53:00 PM | Baseball
Delaware (16-8, 4-3 CAA) is in the midst of a six-game winning streak while Georgia State (16-11, 5-5 CAA) has lost four of its last five games.
Kuhl (5-1) earned his third-straight victory after he held the Panthers to two earned runs on eight hits, one walk and 10 strikeouts in the first complete-game of the season for the Blue Hens. The Middletown, Del. native's 10 strikeouts matched his career-high that was set last season versus UNCW.
“Probably the best performance I've ever seen from Chad in his career on the mound at Delaware,” said Blue Hen head coach Jim Sherman. “He threw 90-something pitches and with the 10 strikeouts, you don't get much better than that in an outstanding effort.”
The Blue Hens took an early 2-0 lead through the first seven innings. UD busted the game wide open with a 10 at-bat, five-run eighth inning behind RBI base knocks by Nick Ferdinand, Alex Mottle, Zach Lopes and Brock Niggebrugge.
Following a two-run home run by GSU's Chase Raffield in the ninth inning, Ferdinand ended the game with a diving catch in shallow right-center field that secured the complete-game victory for Kuhl.
Delaware hammered 13 hits for the second-straight game as every base knock in the victory were singles. Jimmy Yezzo paced the squad with three hits as the first baseman extended his on-base streak to 36 games and hitting streak to seven games. Ferdinand and Lopes each added two hits and two RBI while Niggebrugge went 2-for-4 with one run driven in.
Georgia State's offense was held to eight hits and was led by Greg Bowder's three base knocks. GSU's only runs were tallied on Raffield's two-run home run in the final inning.
Nathan Bates (1-1) suffered the loss for the Panthers after the right-hander surrendered four runs (three earned) on nine hits and three strikeouts in 7.1 innings pitched.
Due to weather concerns on Sunday, Delaware and Georgia State will play a two, nine-inning contests on Saturday, March 30. First pitch for game is set for 12:00 p.m. at Bob Hannah Stadium.
“It's going to be a long day getting both games in because of the weather,” said Sherman. “We need quality starts all weekend, all three of our weekend starters have to put together a string of consistent effort to achieve the results we want.”
Right-hander Adam Davis (3-3, 3.93 earned-run average) and righty Matt Soren (0-1, 2.03 ERA) will throw for the Blue Hens while lefties Garrett Ford (2-3, 5.14 ERA) and Andrew Fessler (2-0, 2.05 ERA) will start for the Panthers.
