University of Delaware Athletics
Bases-Loaded Squeeze Bunt in 13th Inning Hands Delaware 4-3 Loss at Hofstra in CAA Action
4/20/2013 5:57:00 PM | Baseball
Delaware (26-11, 11-6 CAA) drops to 4-1 in extra-inning games this season while Hofstra (19-21, 7-10 CAA) improves to 1-1 in extra-inning contests. The Blue Hens and Pride had scoring opportunities throughout the game as UD left 12 men on the bases and HU stranded 10.
“This was a great extra-innings baseball game, we just came up short at the end,” said Delaware head coach Jim Sherman. “Good pitching gave us a chance, we just didn't hit enough with runners in scoring position."
Tied at 3-3 in the bottom of the 13th inning, Hofstra loaded the bases after Delaware hit Robbie Cafiero by a pitch, Kenny Jackson reached on a fielding error by UD's DJ Long at second base and Matt Reistetter was walked intentionally. With one out, Joe Perez dropped a squeeze bunt that scored Cafiero for the game-winning run for the Pride.
The Blue Hens tallied all of their runs in the first two innings of the ball game. In the first inning, Nick Ferdinand drove in Cameron Travalini on a RBI single into right field. Run-scoring singles by Joe Giacchino and Jimmy Yezzo in the top of the second plated Ty Warrington and Brock Niggebrugge and gave Delaware an early 3-0 advantage.
UD hammered 11 hits in the loss as Giacchino pocketed his second three-hit game of the series. Ferdinand, Yezzo and Warrington also had two-hit games for the Blue Hens.
Hofstra's offense produced nine hits in the victory. Reistetter was responsible for the Pride's first two runs with an RBI double in the first inning and RBI single in the third inning. Jared Hammer led the team with three hits and drove in the game-tying run in the bottom of the eighth inning with a double.
Pride reliever Schreiber (1-2) earned the win after he allowed one hit and eliminated the final out in the top of the 13th inning but it was Bryan Verbitsky that kept Hofstra in the game. Verbistky surrendered one hit and tallied six strikeouts in 7.1 scoreless innings of relief.
Blue Hen reliever Eric Buckland (3-2) was charged with one unearned run on one walk in 0.1 innings pitched in the 13th inning resulted in his second loss of the season.
Delaware's Adam Davis garnered a no-decision after the right-hander was charged with two earned runs on six hits, two walks and four strikeouts in 7.2 innings on the mound.
Hofstra's Joe Burg allowed three earned runs on nine hits, four walks and six strikeouts in 5.1 innings pitched for a no-decision.
Delaware completes its CAA weekend series with Hofstra on Sunday, April 21. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m. at HU's University Field.
The Blue Hens will send right-hander Matt Soren (3-1, 2.03 earned-run average) to the mound while the Pride turns to right-hander Nick Kozlowski (2-0, 4.18 ERA).
