University of Delaware Athletics
Delaware Baseball Hosts UMBC and Delaware State in Pair of Mid-Week Contests
3/5/2013 10:02:00 PM | Baseball
It is a quick turn around for the Hens after winning the final two games against Monmouth. Over the weekend, Zach Lopes collected hits in seven-straight at bats, which is the third-most in UD history. Jimmy Yezzo extended his hitting streak to 20 games after a 2-for-4 performance on Sunday. Ty Warrington also owns a six-game hitting streak to begin the season.
Connor Hibbs takes the mound for his first career start for the Blue Hens. The right-hander has made two relief appearances and has yielded three earned runs on three hits, one walk and one strikeout in 0.1 innings pitched. The quartet of Stephen Richter, Luke Alicknavitch, Brandon Hinkle and Matt Soren have a combined earned-run average of 1.36 (2 ER/13.2 IP).
The Hens have a three-game winning streak over the Retrievers thanks to a 17-8 victory at Bob Hannah Stadium last year. The series between Delaware and UMBC began playing 1981. Last season UMBC was 10-42 with a 2-22 mark in the America East Conference.
UMBC opened the 2013 season in Myrtle Beach, S.C. and lost to #10 N.C. State, West Virginia and Indiana by a combined score of 16-4.
The Retrievers' offense led by Tom Gilchrist (.375) and Anthony Gatto (.333) as the duo are the only two hitters with an above .300 batting average. Gatto also owns the team's only home run of the season. The team is batting a combined .161 (15-for-93) with three RBI.
Jon Cobo will take the mound for UMBC for his first start of the 2013 campaign. The southpaw made five starts in 16 appearances for UMBC last season. Reliever Mike Gomez owns a 0.00 ERA in three innings of work. Through the first three games, UMBC has a team earned-run average of 4.68.
The Route One Rivalry began in 1993 and has seen the Blue Hens produce a 36-9 record over the Hornets. In 2012, DSU swept UD, in the two games played by a combined score of 14-7. The victories snapped a Blue Hen seven-game winning streak.
Coming off a 40-17-1 record in 2012, Delaware State has a 5-5 record after the Hornets lost the final two games of its weekend series against Niagara.
Cameron Cecil leads the Hornets with a .452 batting average (10-for-31) with a .612 on-base percentage and a .613 slugging percentage. Aaron Nardone ranks second on the team with a .371 batting average while JP Flip leads team with 15 hits.
Jordan Elliot (1-0) leads the DSU pitching staff with a 0.64 ERA (1 ER/14.0 IP) with four hits, five walks and 14 strikeouts while holding the opposition to a .087 batting average. The Hornets pitching staff owns a 6.00 ERA (54 ER/81.0 IP) through the first 10 games of the season.
Following the mid-week action, Delaware will begin Colonial Athletic Association play with a three-game weekend series at Towson on Friday, March 8, at 2:30 p.m.
