University of Delaware Athletics
University of Delaware
Northeastern (CAA Tournament)
Hens Complete Friday Sweep with 7-3 Win vs. Northeastern, Will Play Charleston Saturday
5/22/2015 9:12:00 PM | Baseball
Box Score
MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. – The University of Delaware baseball team was able to win its second game of the day Friday as the Blue Hens defeated Northeastern 7-3 to stay alive at the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament at The Ballpark at Patriots Point.
Delaware will now face top-seeded and No. 13 ranked College of Charleston Saturday at 9:30 a.m. If the Hens defeat the Cougars, UD will be two wins over UNCW away from winning the CAA Tournament Championship.
Delaware's victory over the Huskies was powered by the strong pitching performances of Chad Martin and Nick Spadafino.
Martin, who had struggled for much of the year, posted one of his best performances of the season as the righty allowed three earned runs on five hits in five innings
Spadafino then came in to pitch four innings of scoreless relief to seal the win and send the Hens to a matchup with No. 1 seed Charleston Saturday morning.
Jim ShermanBoth teams went scoreless for the first two innings, but Zach Lopes put the Hens on the board in the third on a two-run double. Lopes then scored on a botched pick-off attempt later in the frame to extend Delaware's lead to three runs.
Lopes also had a hand in Delaware's fourth run of the game as the senior captain drew a bases-loaded walk.
Northeastern answered with a run in the bottom of the fourth to cut the lead to three runs, but UD (26-23) responded with a run in the fifth and two in the sixth to put the game out of reach.
Diaz Nardo drove in UD's run in the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly, while Norm Donkin and Greg Olenski posted one RBI each in the sixth.
The Huskies (25-30) scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth and were able to put runners on base in the final innings, but clutch pitching from Spadafino maintained the UD advantage.
Olenski and Calvin Scott posted a team-high three hits, while Lopes was responsible for three RBI in the victory. Tyler Dean tallied two hits and scores two runs as he filled in for the injured Joe Giacchino.
HEN SCRATCHINGS
· Friday's win over Northeastern marked UD's first win over the Huskies this season. Northeastern had swept a three-game series between the two squads earlier this year.
· Friday's victory was Delaware's third straight elimination game win and have now won eight of its last 11 games overall.
· Delaware has led or been tied in 34 of the 36 innings it has played at the CAA Tournament this week.
· UD outhit Northeastern 15-8 and clubbed four extra-base hits.
· Three Huskies posted two hits each, while Rob Fonseca launched a solo home run over the left field fence in the fourth inning to record Northeastern's first run of the game.
· James Mulry got the start for Northeastern and allowed three earned runs on six hits in three innings of work.
· This is the second year in a row that the Blue Hens have eliminated Northeastern from the CAA Tournament.
· All but one hitter in the UD lineup posted a hit Friday.
· Charleston took two of three games vs. the Blue Hens this season.
· If UD beats Charleston and UNCW tomorrow, they will play the Seahawks again on Sunday at a time to be determined for the CAA Tournament Championship.
AGATE
Delaware..........003 112 000 - 7 - 15 - 1
Northeastern.....000 102 000 - 3 - 8 - 1
D: Martin, Spadafino (6); N: Mulry, Lippert (4), Fitzgerald (6): LOB: D - 10, N - 10; DP: D - 2, N - 1; 2B: Lopes (D), Donkin (D), Olenski (D), Powell (D); 3B: Hanley (N); HR: Fonseca (N); WP: Martin (3-5); LP: Mulry (3-8).
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Joe Wirth | jwirth@udel.edu (email) | 302-831-6519 (office) | 484-883-2804 (cell)
