University of Delaware Athletics
University of Delaware
#22/#rv College of Charleston
Blue Hens Drop Series-Opener to No. 22 College of Charleston, 10-2
4/17/2015 6:09:00 PM | Baseball
Box Score
NEWARK, Del. – The University of Delaware baseball team fell victim to College of Charleston's timely hitting and an excellent outing from starter Taylor Clarke as the Blue Hens fell to the first-place Cougars 10-2, Friday in a Colonial Athletic Association matchup at Bob Hannah Stadium.
Jim ShermanCharleston (26-8, 12-1 CAA), which entered the game ranked No. 22 by the USBWA and receiving votes in the USA Today Coaches Poll, jumped on the Hens (14-13, 3-7 CAA) early as the Cougars scored at least one run in the first five innings to take control of the game.
Trailing 3-0 in the second inning, Delaware senior Greg Olenski launched a towering two-run home run to left field to cut the Charleston lead to 3-2.
The Cougars then answered with a run the third, two more in the fourth, and then added another in fifth inning to give themselves a commanding 7-2 lead.
Charleston concluded its scoring in the eighth inning on a three-run home run from Erven Roper to give the Cougars a 10-2 lead.
Despite the loss, Olenski continued his hot hitting at the plate. The senior was responsible for three of the seven UD hits on the day, knocked in Delaware's only two runs, and posted a single and double in addition to his round-tripper.
Clarke kept the Delaware bats in-check for most of the game and earned his eighth win of the season.
The right-hander went eight innings, allowed six hits, and did not surrender an earned run. The junior struck out five batters, which gives him a CAA-best 86 strikeouts this season.
Adam Davis started the game for UD and the senior went 6.1 innings, allowed six earned runs, and fanned five batters as he picked up his second loss of the season.
The Blue Hens and Cougars will return to the diamond Saturday for game two of the three-game set. Ron Marinaccio will get the start for Delaware, while Brandon Glazer will toe the rubber for Charleston. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
HEN SCRATCHINGS
· Charleston has now won five straight over UD.
· Joe Giacchino, Norm Donkin (above right), and Brock Niggebrugge tallied one hit each in the loss.
· Roper led Charleston with three hits and four RBI.
· Seven of the nine starters for the Cougars had at least one hit.
· Eric Sawyer, Nick Spadafino, and Taylor Mahoney combined to pitch the final three innings in relief of Davis.
· Delaware's two runs is the lowest run total for the Blue Hens since scoring two runs against Northeastern on Mar. 27.
· Giacchino and Niggebrugge have both hit safely in five consecutive games.
AGATE:
College of Charleston…121 210 003 – 10 – 14 – 2
Delaware………………..020 000 000 – 2 – 7 – 0
D: Davis, Sawyer (7), Spadafino (9), Mahoney (9); C: Clarke, Love (9); DP: D – 1; LOB: D – 7, C – 8; 2B: Jones (D), Olenski (D), Jones (C), Rowland (C); HR: Olenski (D), Wise (C), Roper (C); SB: Brown (D); WP: Clarke (8-1); LP: Davis (3-2); Attendance: 205.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Joe Wirth | jwirth@udel.edu (email) | 302-831-6519 (office) | 484-883-2804 (cell)
