Blue Hens Rally Past Saint Joseph’s, 8-7, in LBC First Round

Tuesday, March 29

Philadelphia, Pa.

3:00 PM

University of Delaware

12-10

Saint Joseph's

12-10

Delaware

Saint Joseph's

Photo by: Mark Campbell

Blue Hens Rally Past Saint Joseph’s, 8-7, in LBC First Round

3/29/2022 6:40:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA – JJ Freeman hit a go-ahead three-run homer in the top of the eighth as Delaware rallied from six runs down to post an 8-7 victory over Saint Joseph's Tuesday afternoon in the first round of the Liberty Bell Classic.

The Blue Hens opened the scoring in the top of the first when Dominic Ragazzo reached on an error and scored on an RBI single by Bryce Greenly, but the Hawks scored the next seven runs to take control.

Conlan Wall scored on a wild pitch before Brendan Hueth singled home a run in the bottom of the first to put Saint Joseph's in front, while Brandon Drapeau added a two-run double in the third to make it a 4-1 game.

Hueth and Drapeau delivered RBI singles in the fourth, before Liam Bendo drove home another run on a groundout as the Hawks increased their lead to six.

Delaware cut the lead in half during the top of the fifth when Joey Loynd singled home Freeman and Joseph Carpenter before eventually scoring on a wild pitch as the Blue Hens closed within 7-4.

The Hawks maintained their three-run cushion until the top of the eighth when John Weglarz led off with a double, moved to third on a Ragazzo single, and scored when Greenly reached on an error. Freeman then crushed a three-run homer to right to put the Blue Hens in front.

Greenly retired Saint Joseph's in order during the bottom of the eighth, and after the Hawks loaded the bases with two away in the ninth, he got retired Wall on a groundout to third to end the game.

Dom Velazquez, who pitched a hitless bottom of the seventh, picked up the win and improved to 3-1 on the year, while Greenly earned his first save of the season. Gavin Hinchliffe tossed 1.2 scoreless frames while Austin Colmery added a scoreless inning as UD did not allow a run after the fourth inning.

Aidan Kane finished with three hits at the plate for the Blue Hens while Ragazzo, Carpenter and Weglarz added two apiece.

Jim Sherman
"Great job during the back end of the game by our bullpen with Hinchliffe, Comlery, Velazquez and Greenly allowing no runs on three hits in 5.2 innings. Then we got the big three-run homer in the eighth by JJ Freeman. Just a great comeback win by the boys!"

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