University of Delaware Athletics
Fielding Errors Prove to be Costly as Delaware Baseball Falls to Old Dominion, 7-3, in CAA Action
4/27/2013 6:53:00 PM | Baseball
Delaware drops to 27-15 overall and 12-8 in the conference while Old Dominion improved to 22-21 overall mark and 12-11 in the CAA. Delaware had taken the first game of the series Friday afternoon with an 11-7 victory over the Monarchs.
The Blue Hens jumped out to a 3-0 lead after three innings but Old Dominion tied the score with a single run in the fourth and two more in the fifth before breaking the deadlock with a decisive four-run seventh inning. A three-run double by Ben Slaton proved to be the key hit of the inning.
“We were going so well through the first five innings and just lost some focus,” said Delaware head coach Jim Sherman. “That seventh inning, they gave it to us yesterday and we gave it right back today.”
The Blue Hens tallied eight base hits in the loss as Jimmy Yezzo and DJ Long led the team with two hits apiece.
Nick Ferdinand tallied his ninth home run of the season, a solo blast over the right-center field wall in the bottom of the second inning for the Hens' first run of the game. Ty Warrington accounted for UD's second run when he lifted a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Long in the second inning.
Yezzo, the nation's leading hitter with a .444 average, extended his hitting streak to nine games when the first baseman hammered his league-leading 11th home run of the season over the right field wall in the bottom of the third inning and it would be the last run of the day for the Blue Hens.
Delaware's Adam Davis (4-5) was handed the loss as the right-hander tossed 6.1 innings and was charged with seven runs (three earned) on 10 hits, one walk, and four strikeouts.
Slaton led the Monarchs with a 3-for-4 day at the plate that included the bases-clearing, three-run double in the seventh. Ben Verlander added a three-hit day out of the leadoff spot for the Monarchs. Michael Perez also collected two RBI after he reached base twice as the Monarchs collected 12 hits on the day.
Monarch reliever Tommy Alexander (2-3) tossed five scoreless innings on the mound and limited the Blue Hens to two hits and one walk while striking out five for his second win of the season. ODU left-handed starter Andy Roberts received a no-decision after he yielded three earned runs on six hits and two strikeouts in four innings.
Delaware and Old Dominion complete its three-game CAA weekend series on Sunday at Bob Hannah Stadium.
“We wasted a really good outing by Davis today and need Matt Soren to pick us up,” said Sherman “Tomorrow we have to refocus and be able to turn the tables back on Old Dominion.”
Soren (3-2, 2.56 earned-run average), a right-hander, will take the mound for the Blue Hens as lefty Ryan Yarbrough (3-3, 3.78 ERA) makes the start for Old Dominion.
