HARRISONBURG, VA -- The University of Delaware baseball team battled back from a seven-run deficit after five innings but the rally fell short as the Blue Hens dropped a 10-8 decision to host James Madison in the final game of a three game Colonial Athletic Association baseball set Sunday at Long/Mauck Field.

James Madison, ranked No. 30 in this week’s Collegiate Baseball Division I poll, swept the three-game series to improve to 16-4 (6-0 CAA) and run its winning streak to 16 games. Delaware, which scored all eight of its runs in the final four innings, fell to 9-5 (0 3 CAA).

The host Dukes, who downed the Hens 15-5 Friday and rallied to post a 6-5 victory Saturday, banged out 17 hits Sunday as they jumped out to a 7-0 lead after five innings before holding on for the win.

James Madison centerfielder Kellen Kulbacki, who knocked in five runs Friday and had the game-winning hit Saturday, went for 4 for 5 with three RBI while Brett Sellers went 3 for 3 and knocked in three runs. Ryan Reid (4-1) allowed five hits and four runs while striking out 12 Delaware batters in seven innings of work to get the win on the mound.

Delaware made the most of its nine hits as Buchholz, who went 6 for 13 with three home runs during the weekend set, Todd Davison, and Brandon Menchaca each collected two hits. Davison extended his hitting streak to 15 games. Delaware’s big blow was a pinch hit two-run home run by Ryan Jablonski (at right) in the eighth inning that cut the lead to 10-6. Delaware starter Todd Ozog (3-1) took the loss, allowing 10 hits and seven runs (four earned) in five innings of work.

After entering the final inning down 10-6, the Hens rallied with two runs in the ninth to cut the gap. Kyle Davis had an RBI double and scored on a wild pitch, but Brent Rogers flied out to centerfield with a runner on second base to end the game.

James Madison jumped out to a 7-0 lead as Sellers had an RBI single in the second, Dave Stoneburner keyed a three-run third inning with a solo home run, and Kulbacki added a two-run homer in a three-run fifth inning. Delaware finally got on the board in the sixth with three runs as Bryan Hagerich had a run-scoring single, Davison stole home on a double steal, and Bill Merkler plated a run with a groundout to third base.

James Madison upped the lead to 8-3 on a Kulbacki RBI double in the sixth but the Hens matched it with a run in the seventh as Buchholz doubled, advanced to third on a passed ball, and scored on a wild pitch. The Dukes extended the lead to 10-4 with two runs in the seventh as Matt Sluder and Sellers produced run-scoring hits.

Delaware rallied with two runs in both the eighth and ninth innings, closing the gap to 10 6 on Jablonski’s pinch-hit home run with one-out in the eighth and adding two more in the ninth before Duke reliever Clay McKim closed the door.