RICHMOND, VA -- The University of Delaware baseball team used aggressive baserunning and outstanding pitching to earn a hard-fought 2-1 victory over the University of Richmond on Friday afternoon in the season-opener for the Blue Hens.

Sophomore Mike McGuire and junior Chad Kerfoot (right) combined to hold the Spiders to one run on only four hits on the day. McGuire struck out six over the first four innings, while Kerfoot (1-0) pitched five innings of scoreless relief to earn the win.

The Blue Hens (1-0) took the lead during a bizarre seventh inning. Catcher Ryan Engelhardt led off with a walk, and freshman infielder Kyle Davis pinch-ran for him. Davis reached second and Alex Buchholz first on a botched fielder's choice throw by Richmond pitcher Jason Bolinski. Todd Davison followed with a flyout to centerfield, which advanced Davis to third. Dan Richardson then struck out for the second out of the inning, but Richmond catcher Alex Hale?fs attempted pickoff of Buchholz was wild and allowed Davis to score the go-ahead run, which was unearned.

Delaware got on the board initially by being aggressive on the basepaths. Bryan Hagerich singled with one out in the sixth, then stole second base. After a strikeout by Brandon Menchaca, Dan Kozek lashed one of his two hits of the day down the rightfield line for a double, scoring Hagerich with the tying run.

Richmond (0-4) took the lead early when first baseman Joe Mahoney led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a home run to right. After the home run, the Spider offense remained stifled until the ninth inning, when they got their first two runners on base on a single and a Delaware error. After a sacrifice bunt moved the tying and winning runs into scoring position, Kerfoot was able to induce a comebacker by Hale the catcher and a flyout to center by Cameron Brown to end the threat and preserve the Delaware victory. The win was the first on opening day for the Blue Hens since a 10-9 victory over Furman in 2000, the last year of Hall of Fame head coach Bob Hannah's career at Delaware.

Stephen Owens started the game on the mound for Richmond, allowing one earned run and seven hits while striking out six in six innings of work.

The two teams will square off again on Saturday at 1 p.m. when Mitch Heckert will take the hill for Delaware against Rob Berzinskas for Richmond.

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