NEWARK, DE -- The Hofstra University baseball team scored five runs on only seven hits to grind out a 5-4 Colonial Athletic Association victory over the University of Delaware on Saturday afternoon in Newark.

Dan Richardson (at right) had three hits for the Blue Hens, while Alex Buchholz turned an unassisted triple play, the ninth trifecta in school history. No one on Hofstra’s team had more than one hit, as the Hens outhit the Pride 13-7, but the Hens also grounded into four double plays.

Delaware (4-11, 2-3 CAA) took the lead in the bottom of the second. Adam Tsakonas singled with one out, moved to second on a wild pitch and then scored on Ryan Reed’s first hit as a Blue Hen.

Hofstra (8-12, 3-5) tied the game at one in the top of the fifth inning. Tony Schmitt reached on an error, moved to second on a groundout and then scored from second on a groundout by Tom Caltabiano.

The Hens regained the lead with a two-out rally in the bottom of the fifth. After the first two batters of the inning were retired, Ryan Engelhardt singled to left field. An errant pickoff attempt by Pride starter Charlie Frago advanced Engelhardt to third, and he scored on Richardson’s second hit of the afternoon to restore the Hens’ one-run lead.

But the lead was short-lived as Hofstra took the lead in the top of the sixth inning. Chris Mentrasti led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch and Anthony Campana followed with a single. Anthony Sarno hit a ground ball that appeared to be a tailor-made double play ball, but Campana beat Buchholz to the bag and the Hens were only able to get one out. Patrick Rogers’ sacrifice fly tied the game and Matt Prokopowicz’ single gave the Pride their first lead of the series, 3-2.

Delaware wasted little time re-tying the game, as Brandon Menchaca sent Frago’s first pitch of the sixth over the wall in left center for his first home run of the season.

Hofstra scored twice to take a 5-3 lead in the top of the seventh, highlighted by the first career home run by the second baseman Mentrasti.

Delaware got one back with its first batter of the seventh inning when Bill Merkler crushed a pitch from new Pride reliever Eric Corkery over the leftfield wall. Menchaca led off the bottom of the eighth with a double to deep centerfield, but was stranded by the new Hofstra reliever Rogers, who came in from the outfield to pitch.

In the top of the ninth with runners on first and second and no outs, Mentrasti hit a line drive to Buchholz at short. Buchholz snared the liner then tagged Matt Kougasian who was off from second on the pitch and Tom Legregni who was off from first to complete the rare unassisted triple play.

The Hens mounted three hits in the bottom of the ninth but were unable to score the tying run, as Ryan Cuneo grounded into a double play to erase one base runner and two more were left stranded by the work Rogers on the mound.

John Fuhrman picked up the win for the Pride with two-thirds of an inning without allowing a hit, while Chad Kerfoot took the loss for Delaware.

The Hens and Pride will conclude their series tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. at Bob Hannah Stadium.

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