University of Delaware Athletics
University of Delaware
Georgetown
Blue Hens Sweep Doubleheader vs. Rider in Home Debut, Nardo Homers Twice
3/10/2015 6:56:00 PM | Baseball
• Game One Box Score / Game Two Box Score
NEWARK, Del. – The University of Delaware baseball team opened its home schedule in style Tuesday as the Blue Hens swept Rider in a doubleheader at Bob Hannah Stadium.
Diaz Nardo hit a walk-off single to give the Hens a 9-8 victory in game one and timely hitting keyed Delaware's 8-6 win in game two. The second game of Tuesday's doubleheader was shortened to five innings because of a steady rain.
Jim ShermanIn game one, the Blue Hens (4-3) built a 5-0 lead through four innings, but Rider slowly chipped away at the deficit. The Broncs (2-7) scored two runs in the fifth and sixth innings before recording four runs in the eighth to take the lead.
The Hens then answered with a run in the bottom of the eighth before winning the game on Nardo's RBI in the ninth.
In game two, UD again built a big lead. Gary Jones and Nardo put the Blue Hens on the board in the second inning with back-to-back home runs. Delaware then scored five runs in the third to give itself a commanding 7-0 lead.
Like in game one, Rider did not go down without a fight. The Broncs rallied with a five-run fourth inning to cut the UD lead to 7-5. After Delaware scored a run in the bottom of the fourth, Rider scored another run in the fifth, but inclement weather forced the game to end midway through the fifth inning.
Nardo had a big day at the plate for the Blue Hens. In addition to his game-winning hit in game one, the redshirt freshman tallied five hits, two home runs, and five RBI in the two games.
“Nardo had a breakout game for us today,” said Sherman. “He hits with a lot of power and showed how clutch he is with the game-winner in the first game.”
Delaware will return to action Wednesday as the Blue Hens host in-state rival Wilmington (Del.) at 3 p.m. at Bob Hannah Stadium.
HEN SCRATCHINGS:
· Delaware now leads the all-time series vs. Rider 64-25 and the Hens have won four of the last five matchups.
· Andrew Pechstein made his first career start in game two and the sophomore did not allow a hit in three-plus innings of work.
· Like Pechstein, Matt Hornich made his first career start Tuesday. The freshman started game one and did not allow any runs while surrendering just four hits.
|· Rider scored six runs on just one hit in game two.
· Three Blue Hens led the team with two hits in game one, while Tyler Powell tallied a team-high three hits in game two. Powell was a home run away from hitting for the cycle in game one.
· Taylor Mahoney earned the win in game one while Luke Alicknavitch was credited with his first win of the season in game two.
· Tuesday marked just the second time since 2010 that UD has won its home opener.
AGATE
GAME ONE:
Rider…………...000 022 040 – 8 – 13 – 2
Delaware…..…..002 302 011 – 9 – 13 – 3
D: Hornich, Martin (5), Davis (6), Alicknavitch (7), Mahoney (8); R: Sowa, Sharik (6), Hafer (6), Margevicius (7), Thomas (9); LOB: D – 8, R – 10; DP: D – 3; HR: D – Nardo; 3B: D – Powell; 2B: D – Giacchino, Powell; R – Richter, Lipinski, Murphy, Locklear; HBP: R – Richter, Murphy, Parsons; SB: D – Donkin; R – Parsons. WP: Mahoney (1-0); LP: Margevicius (0-2); Attendance: 94.
GAME TWO:
Rider…………000 51 – 6 – 1 – 2
Delaware…....025 1X – 8 – 9 – 1
D: Pechstein, Spadafino (4), Mahoney (4), Alicknavitch (4); R: Sparano, Sharik (3), Donnelly (3), Diorio (3); LOB: D – 5, R – 4; DP: D – 1; HR: D – Nardo, Jones; 2B: D – Warrington; HBP: R – Fazio, Lipinski, Murphy, Parsons. WP: Alicknavitch (1-0); LP: Sparano (0-2); Attendance: 83.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Joe Wirth | jwirth@udel.edu (email) | 302-831-6519 (office) | 484-883-2804 (cell)
