NEWARK, DE -- The University of Delaware baseball team erupted for five runs in the bottom of the first inning to propel it to a 12-8 non-conference win over Marist College on Saturday afternoon in Newark.

The Hens (8-2) led 4-0 before they had made an out. Kyle Davis led off the game by reaching on an error, and was followed by consecutive singles from Todd Davison and Adam Tsakonas. Tsakonas’ single brought home Davis and left two runners on base for leftfielder Bryan Hagerich, who hit from the cleanup spot for the first time in 2006. Hagerich (right) drove the first pitch he saw from Marist starter Bobby Hastry deep over the fence in left field for his second home run of the season.

Already leading 6-0, the Hens put up another crooked number in the fourth inning. Dan Kozek and Scott Shockley led off with doubles, and Shockley was followed by a home run from catcher Ryan Engelhardt to put Delaware up 9-0. The Blue Hens added one more later in the inning when Davison scored on a fielder’s choice by Brandon Menchaca.

Delaware starter Todd Ozog utilized a sharp breaking ball to dominate the Marist hitters through the first five innings, but ran into trouble in the sixth. Ozog allowed hits to three of the first four batters, and was never able to cut off the Red Foxes rally. After Pat Feeney’s double down the right field line scored Marist’s fourth run of the inning, Rob Bergman entered the game for Delaware and struck out Red Fox first baseman Bryan Towler on three pitches to end the threat.

Marist (3-5) added two runs in each of the seventh and eighth innings to cut the lead to 11-8 before Davison walked, stole second and moved to third on a throwing error by the catcher, and then scored on a wild pitch for Delaware’s 12th run. Matt Heppner worked a 1-2-3 ninth to nail down the win.

Ozog gave up four earned and struck out seven over 5.2 innings to earn the win for the Hens while Hastry, who brought a 0.87 ERA into the game, was touched up for nine hits and nine earned runs in 3.1 in taking the loss.

The two teams will close out the series on Sunday at 12 noon with Tom Close starting for Marist against Mike McGuire for the Blue Hens.

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