Strong Pitching for Baseball Leads to 5-4 Victory Over Liberty

Friday, April 24

Lynchburg, Va.

6 PM

University of Delaware

13-29, 2-17

Liberty

29-13, 13-6

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Delaware	1	2	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	5	6	2
Liberty	1	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	4	9	0

Photo by: Mikey Reeves

Strong Pitching for Baseball Leads to 5-4 Victory Over Liberty

4/24/2026 8:54:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

LYNCHBURG, Va. – With a strong pitching performance from Andrew Callaway and Ryan McLaughlin, the University of Delaware baseball program opened its Conference USA weekend series against Liberty with a 5-4 win on Friday.

With the win, the Fightin' Blue Hens overall record improves to 13-29 overall and are 2-17 in CUSA play.

HEN HIGHLIGHTS

Callaway got the start on the mound, the start of the season, as well as the first of his career. He pitched 5.2 innings, allowed just one earned run off seven hits and struck out four batters. He was the winning pitcher and is now 1-1.
McLaughlin pitched the final 3.1 innings. He allowed three runs (two earned) off two hits and struck out three batters. He earned the save, his first of the season.
Sal Mineo and Anthony DeCesare led the Blue Hens offensively, both hit a home run and two RBIs. Mineo went 2-for-4, DeCesare went 2-for-3 with a walk and scored twice.

HOW IT HAPPENED

UD didn't waste any time, and got an early 1-0 thanks to a lead off home run from Sal Mineo in the top of the first. It is his seventh of the season, and is second home run to lead off the game over the past two weeks.
After the Flames responded with a run to tie the game at 1-1, Anthony DeCesare hit a two-run home run in the top of the second inning to make it 3-1.
In the seventh, Delaware added two insurance runs courtesy of an Anthony Charles sacrifice bunt, which scored Noah Burroughs, as well as a Mineo RBI single that scored DeCesare. Those two runs would prove to be critical as the Flame scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to make it 5-4, and couldn't fully mount a comeback.

GAME NOTES

This is the first time Delaware has defeated Liberty since March 8, 1997 when the Blue Hens defeated the Flames 7-5 in Wilmington, North Carolina.

UP NEXT
Game two of the weekend series starts at 1 p.m. tomorrow and can be streamed on ESPN+

TICKETS
Click here to secure your seats for the remaining six home games at Bob Hannah Stadium.

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