PISCATAWAY, NJ -- The University of Delaware baseball team mounted a frenzied ninth-inning comeback that fell just short as Rutgers University held on for an 8-5 win on Tuesday afternoon in Piscataway.

Ryan Jablonski (right) had three hits for the Blue Hens, while Danny Overcash hit a three-run home run. Bill Merkler and Adam Tsakonas each had two hits for the Hens (27-20) and Alex Buchholz ripped a single in the eighth to extend his hitting streak to 19 games.

Rutgers (34-17) took the lead in the bottom of the first when leadoff man Todd Frazier hit his school record 19th home run of the season down the line in leftfield. Delaware starter Todd Ozog retired the next two batters before giving up an infield single and then hitting Tom Edwards on an 0-2 pitch. Jon Gossard singled through the left side to bring in another run and advance runners to second and third. Tim Querns followed by grounding out to short to end the inning, but the Scarlet Knights had a 2-0 lead.

The Knights put runners on second and third with no one out in the bottom of the third. Edwards’ sacrifice fly to center scored the fourth run, and Brandon Menchaca’s throw to third got away from Jablonski, allowing Ryan Hill to score from second for a 4-0 lead.

Rutgers loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the fourth, but Hill lined out to Bryan Hagerich in left to end the inning. They then put runners on the corners with one out in the bottom of the fifth. Querns’ fielder’s choice scored another run, and Ozog got Frank Meade to pop up to end the inning.

Dave Willliams two-run homer followed by Edwards’ solo shot in the bottom of the seventh put the Knights up 8-0.

The Hens could get nothing going all day against Rutgers’ starter Jon McCue, who allowed five hits in eight shutout innings.

Trailing 8-0 entering the top of the ninth, the Hens got their first two runners on against Rutgers reliever Tim Woodhull. Overcash then hit his seventh home run of the season to get Delaware on the board at 8-3. After Scott Shockley walked, Woodhull was lifted for OJ DeChristofano. DeChristofano walked Kyle Davis and gave up a single to Jablonski to load the bases and then walked Brandon Menchaca to bring in a run and make the game 8-4. DeChristofano was then taken out for Kevin Lillis, who got Alex Buchholz to fly out to deep left center on a ball that narrowly missed tying the game. Lillis then struck out Hagerich before hitting Tsakonas to reload the bases and bring the potential go-ahead run to the plate. Kevin Lillis was then lifted for his brother Chris Lillis, who got a groundball to short from Merkler on his first pitch to end the ball game.

McCue picked up the win to improve his perfect record to 7-0, while Ozog fell to 3-4. Chris Lillis picked up his fourth save.

The Hens return to action at home on Thursday in the first game of a regular season ending series against James Madison.

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