University of Delaware Athletics
Blue Hens Welcome UNCW for Weekend Set; CAA Champs Banner to Rise
4/12/2018 5:22:00 PM | Baseball
Delaware (15-14, 3-3 CAA) vs. UNCW (20-12, 4-2 CAA )
📅 Friday, April 13
🕖 3:00 p.m.
📍 Bob Hannah Stadium – Newark, Del.
⚾️ RHP Kyle Hinton (3-3, 2.51 ERA) vs. RHP Alex Royalty (3-3, 4.25 ERA)
📅 Saturday, April 14
🕖 1:00 p.m.
📍 Bob Hannah Stadium – Newark, Del.
⚾️ RHP Billy Sullivan IV (3-1, 2.41 ERA) vs. Landen Roupp (0-0, 2.89 ERA)
📅 Sunday, April 1
🕖 1:00 p.m.
⚾️ TBA vs. Gage Herring (1-0, 2.70 ERA)
GOING UP: Prior to Friday's series opener against UNCW, the Blue Hens will be unveiling last season's CAA Championship banner. The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 2:45 p.m.
MAKING A BANK RUN: Delaware baseball is heading to Citizens Bank Park Tuesday evening for the Liberty Bell Classic Championship game. The Blue Hens defeated La Salle 7-3 (Mar. 27) in the First Round of the LBC. For the semifinals, Delaware was paired with Lehigh. After the game was postponed twice, the Hens and Mountain Hawks met Wednesday, with the Blue Hens coming out on top 15-7. Delaware, who led 13-1 heading to the bottom of the eighth, received multiple hits from five different players. Outfielder Kyle Baker drove in a career-high four runs, while freshman Ben Werkheiser hit his first career home run (two-run shot) in the ninth. Freshman Joey Haass pitched the first five innings for Delaware to earn his first career victory. For the afternoon the Blue Hens smacked 14 hits and placed 20 batters on base.
TURNING IT AROUND: Delaware enters the weekend with a bit of momentum after a pair of victories. After losing five games in a row, the Blue Hens have won their past two games. This past Sunday, Delaware won a critical 5-2 (10) extra-inning affair at Hofstra. Down 2-0 in that game heading
RIDING THE “MO” MENTUM: Centerfielder Kevin Mohollen has reached base in his last seven at-bats, scoring five times over that span. The leadoff man went three-for-three Wednesday afternoon at Lehigh, reaching on walks three times. Mohollen has scored a team-best 25 runs this season, and also leads the Blue Hens in steals (12), on-base percentage (.421) and hits (32). Mohollen is currently batting .305 which is good for the second highest mark on the team.
HOW WE STAND: Delaware (3-3) currently sits in fourth place in the conference, just one game behind third-place UNCW. Northeastern is atop the CAA standings with a 5-1 mark, followed by Charleston (7-2). Hofstra sits in fifth with a 4-5 mark, followed by Elon (4-5), Towson (4-5), William & Mary (3-6) and James Madison (2-7).
SO WE MEET AGAIN: Delaware and UNCW are meeting for the sixth, seventh and eighth time in the last year. Last April 28-30, Delaware traveled to UNCW for a three-game series. The two teams then met two more times in the 2017 CAA Championship held at UNCW last May 24-27. Delaware has won three of its last four matchups with UNCW, including last season's 14-8 and 10-3 CAA Tournament victories.
FLYING NORTH: The Seahawks head north this weekend with a record of 20-12, having lost four of their past five games. Last Tuesday UNCW fell at #12 ECU, 6-4, before returning home for a series with Wofford. After dropping the opener 13-1 and the second game 5-4, UNCW rebounded for a 4-3 comeback walk-off victory. The Seahawks are coming off an 8-3 setback to #4 NC State Wednesday night. For the season Mason Berne and Ryan Jeffers have provided most of the offensive firepower for UNCW. Berne leads the Seahawks in average (.376), hits (44)., RBI (33) and on-base percentage (.468). The senior has hit eight long balls. An All-CAA selection a season ago, Jeffers enters the weekend with nine homers and 32 RBI so far this season. The junior is hitting .336 for the season. On the mound, the Seahawks boast a 3.35 ERA. 2017 CAA Pitcher of the Year Alex Royalty has been a mainstay in the UNCW rotation this season,
MEDIA INFORMATION: Contact: Andrew Stern | Anwstern@udel.edu | Office: 302-831-6519 | Cell: 914-589-9666
