Leach’s Two Homers Power Baseball to Late Victory Over North Carolina A&T

Friday, April 14

Newark, Del.

4:00 PM

University of Delaware

18-16, 0

North Carolina A&T

14-16, 0

North Carolina A&T

Delaware

Photo by: Mark Campbell

Leach’s Two Homers Power Baseball to Late Victory Over North Carolina A&T

4/14/2023 7:01:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

NEWARK, Del. – Catcher Tyler Leach swatted homers in the seventh and eighth innings as Delaware baseball (18-16, 7-6) hit five home runs and stormed back late to stun North Carolina A&T (14-16, 6-7) 8-7 on Friday.

"You always feel good about our ability to score runs because of the power throughout the lineup," head coach Greg Mamula said. "We'll take our walks when they're there as well. The combination of walks and home runs usually leads to a lot of runs."

Delaware began its long ball parade in the third inning as JJ Freeman and Dan Covino hit back-to-back homers to give the Hens an early 2-0 advantage.

Starter Bryce Greenly limited the Aggies through the first three innings, but the team clawed across runs on a pair of groundouts in the fourth and fifth, respectively.

Against Eli Atiya in the sixth, the Aggies went in front for the first time following a three-run shot by Anthony Hennings.

Leach smoked a first-pitch fastball over the right-center field wall to get the Hens within one in the seventh, but it was short-lived as Atiya allowed a Michael Logan home run in the eighth to make it a 7-4 ballgame.

Not to be outdone, Joey Loynd led off the bottom of the eighth with a solo home run, and after a pair of singles by Josearmando Diaz and Andrew Amato, Leach hammered his second home run of the game to left-center to give the Hens the lead for good.

"I was just trying to keep things moving and turn the lineup over and get back to the top," Leach said. "I got a good pitch, was able to stay through it and hit a home run."

Owen Margolis retired the Aggies in order in the ninth, earning his second save of the season in an 8-7 victory.

Leach's multi-homer effort was the first by a Blue Hen since Covino against UMass Lowell on Mar. 17 and the first multi-homer game of his collegiate career, while his five RBIs were a career-high.

Leach, Amato and Freeman each recorded multiple hits while Anthony Gubitosi recorded his first collegiate win. Delaware's five home runs were the second-most the team has hit in a game this season, and the team now has eight home runs in its last two games.

Delaware has won nine of 11 contests and eight consecutive home games.

First pitch on Saturday is now at 6:00 p.m. due to the weather forecast. Joey Silan will make his first start of the season.