University of Delaware Athletics
University of Delaware
William & Mary (CAA Tournament)
Delaware Staves Off Elimination with 3-1 Victory vs. William & Mary at CAA Tournament
5/21/2015 4:24:00 PM | Baseball
Box Score
MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. – Behind a complete game gem from senior captain Adam Davis, the University of Delaware baseball team survived and advanced Thursday as the Hens defeated William & Mary 3-1 at the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament at The Ballpark at Patriots Point.
Davis, a third team All-CAA pick, allowed just five hits and one earned run as the right-hander went to distance to earn his sixth win of the season.
Jim ShermanDavis allowed two hits in the first inning, but was able to escape without allowing a run. The senior surrendered just three more hits in the contest and kept the William & Mary bats in-check for most of the game. He struck out six Tribe batters.
“The entire team just battled so hard today,” said Davis. “I was in this same situation against Northeastern a few years ago and couldn't get the job done, so to perform well today means so much. I wouldn't want to play with any other group of guys and I can't tell you how good it feels to come up big for them in this situation.”
Neither team could manufacture much offense for the first part of the game, but the Blue Hens broke the scoreless tie with two runs in the fifth inning.
Brock Niggebrugge (right) hit a sacrifice fly to score Diaz Nardo for UD's first run. Joe Giacchino then hit a two-out double and scored when William & Mary's Cullen Large committed an error on a Zach Lopes groundball.
The most substantial William & Mary (22-30) rally came in the seventh inning. Josh Smith roped a two-out run scoring triple to the gap to pull the Tribe to within one run.
With the tying run 90 feet away, Davis buckled down and forced William & Mary's Matthew Tilley to groundout to shortstop and end the threat and eliminate the No. 6 seed Tribe from the tournament.
No. 5 seed Delaware (24-23) posted an insurance run in the eighth inning as Norm Donkin led off the frame with a triple before Greg Olenski knocked him in with a single.
Davis allowed one hit in the ninth, but avoided any drama as he struck out Josh Smith to clinch the win.
Delaware will return to the diamond Friday at 10 a.m. as the Blue Hens will take on the lowest seeded team remaining depending on the results of Thursday night's games.
HEN SCRATCHINGS
· Olenski posted the only multi-hit game for UD.
· Delaware recorded three extra-base hits in the win.
· Tribe pitcher Nick Brown pitched eight innings and allowed two earned runs on six hits.
· Ryan Hall posted a team-high two hits for William & Mary.
· UD and William & Mary combined to score 67 runs in their three-game series earlier this season, but runs were scarce in Thursday's contest.
· Delaware outhit the Tribe 6-5.
· This is the second straight season Delaware squared off against William & Mary in the CAA Tournament. The Tribe defeated UD 11-4 last season.
· Delaware defeated William & Mary in all four matchups this season.
AGATE
William & Mary...000 000 100 - 1 - 5 - 2
Delaware...........000 020 01X - 3 - 6 - 0
D: Davis; WM: Brown; LOB: D - 8, WM - 6; DP: D - 2; 2B: Giacchino (D), Nardo (D); 3B: Donkin (D), Smith (WM); SB: Giacchino (D), Scott (D); WP: Davis (6-3); LP: Brown (5-4).
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Joe Wirth | jwirth@udel.edu (email) | 302-831-6519 (office) | 484-883-2804 (cell)
