NEWARK, DE -- The University of Delaware baseball team scored twice in the first inning and never trailed on its way to a 6-1 non-conference victory over La Salle University on Tuesday afternoon at Bob Hannah Stadium. The win was the seventh in a row at home for the Blue Hens (16-18).

Adam Tsakonas (right) and Alex Buchholz each had two hits for the Hens, while the bullpen combination of Mike McGuire, Matt Heppner and David Slovak allowed two hits and struck out six over five scoreless innings.

La Salle loaded the bases with one out in the top of the first inning. Delaware starter Todd Ozog then struck out Dennis Burge looking for the second out and then got out of the jam unscathed as he struck out T.J. Chism to end the inning.

After escaping a bases loaded jam in the top of the first, the Hens scored twice before recording an out in the bottom half of the inning. Ryan Jablonski reached on an error and moved up to third when La Salle starter Drew Gerhart’s pickoff throw went wild. Brandon Menchaca then walked and stole second, and the throw down to second was wild, scoring Jablonski and moving Menchaca to third. Buchholz then ripped a single to right centerfield to score Menchaca to give the Hens a 2-0 lead.

John Rickards cut the lead in half when he homered just inside the rightfield foul pole with one out in the top of the third. The Hens regained a two-run lead in the bottom of the inning when Menchaca homered over the batter’s eye in centerfield for his sixth home run of the season.

The Hens added one in the fourth when Danny Overcash doubled off the top of the wall in left center and Scott Shockley came around to score from first base. Delaware later added one in the sixth when Shockley reached on an error that brought home Tsakonas to give the Hens a 5-1 lead.

McGuire relieved Ozog and pitched three scoreless innings for the Hens, and then in the eighth Heppner struck out the side in his only inning.

Tsakonas’ fourth home run of the season gave the Hens a 6-1 lead in the bottom of the eighth and then Slovak put the down the Explorers in order in the ninth

The Hens return to action this weekend with a series at Colonial Athletic Association rival Northeastern this Friday through Sunday.

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