Strong Pitching, Late Surge Lifts Blue Hens Over Towson

Sunday, May 9

Newark, Del.

1 p.m.

University of Delaware

10-20, 6-14

Towson University

18-30, 8-8

Towson University

Delaware

Photo by: Mark Campbell

Strong Pitching, Late Surge Lifts Blue Hens Over Towson

5/9/2021 4:56:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Photo Gallery

A six-run eighth innings makes the difference

NEWARK, Del. – The University of Delaware baseball team scored six runs in the eighth inning and got 4.2 innings of one-hit pitching from junior Mike Biasiello to defeat Towson, 9-3, Sunday afternoon at Bob Hannah Stadium.

"I thought we played a really clean baseball game and I'm proud of our efforts," said head coach Jim Sherman. "We are a dangerous team when everything comes together and that's what happened today."

Delaware struck first with a two-run first inning on a two-RBI base hit by freshman Joey Loynd to take an early lead.

Towson quickly answered with a run in each of the next two frames, but Blue Hens' starter graduate student David Mervis settled in and struck out a season-best seven Tigers in 4.1 innings of work.

Biasiello was brilliant out of the Delaware bullpen, retiring eight in-a-row after his first batter reached on a sacrifice bunt.

Senior Vinny Vaccone helped his pitcher out with a big play deep in the hole at short to end the top of the eighth and strand the go-ahead Towson run on third.

Vaccone's play helped spark a six-run Blue Hens' outburst in the bottom of the eighth as the first five Delaware batters reached, four via hits. Junior Joseph Carpenter doubled, followed by a base hit by senior Jack Goan to set up Loynd's RBI double.

Loynd was 2-for-3 on the afternoon with three RBI, a double and a run while Carpenter and Goan each collected a pair of hits out of the 3-4-5 spots in the Delaware lineup.

Freshman Jake Dunion made it four-straight hits with a double to right to score another and Hutchins followed with a two-RBI hit up the middle. Senior Vinny Vaccone tacked on another the hard way, getting hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to make it 9-3.

Hutchins was 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored and Biasiello worked a clean ninth to finish with five strikeouts, allowing only one hit and no walks.

Mervis gave his best outing of the year, working 4.1 innings with seven strikeouts and allowing just two earned.

Delaware's final regular-season series will now take place next weekend as Northeastern visits Bob Hannah Stadium for a four-game series beginning Friday at 3 p.m.

For the latest on the Delaware baseball program, follow the Blue Hens on Twitter @DelawareBASE and Instagram @delawarebase and like "Delaware Baseball" on Facebook.