NEWARK, DE -- The University of Delaware used a four-run sixth inning to turn a 3-0 deficit into a 4-3 lead and then held on for a 6-5 Colonial Athletic Association win over UNC Wilmington on Friday afternoon at Bob Hannah Stadium.

Ryan Jablonski (right) went 4-4 for the Hens and reached base five times, while Brandon Menchaca, Bryan Hagerich and Kyle Davis all had two hits for the Hens. The win extended Delaware’s winning streak to five games.

The Seahawks (16-21, 8-8 CAA) scored before recording an out in the first inning. Matt Holt led off with a single then Daniel Hargrave was hit by a pitch. Steve Halford then doubled down the right field line to score Holt and move Hargrave to third. Mark Carver followed by reaching on an error by Jablonski on which two more runs scored. Blue Hen starter Brent Gaphardt was then able to get out of the inning without further damage.

The Hens (12-16, 6-7 CAA) loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the first but Seahawk starter Bradley Holt struck out Scott Shockley looking to end the threat. Delaware threatened again in the third with runners on the first and second and one out, but Holt induced a double play out of Shockley to get out of the inning. The Hens once again put two on with one out in the fifth, but Holt got Hagerich to pop up to short and struck out Tsakonas.

Delaware took the lead in the bottom of the sixth. Shockley walked and then scored ahead of a home run to rightfield by Ryan Engelhardt, his second in two career games against Holt. After Davis singled, Cody Dickens was summoned from the Seahawk bullpen to face Jablonski. Jablonski singled and was followed by a single from Menchaca that brought home Davis to tie the game. Alex Buchholz then sent a sacrifice fly to right that was dropped by Jason Appel, scoring Jablonski and putting Menchaca on third and Buchholz on second. After a walk to Bryan Hagerich loaded the bases, Dickens got Tsakonas to pop up and got Shockley to ground out to leave the bases loaded. However, the Hens got four runs to take their first lead of the day.

The Hens added two more with a two-out rally in the bottom of the seventh. With no one on and two outs, Davis singled to leftfield then Jablonski doubled off the wall in right to score Davis. Menchaca followed with a single to right to score Jablonski and give the Hens a 6-3 lead.

UNCW cut the margin to one in the eighth against Delaware reliever Matt Heppner. With one out, Bobby Leeper doubled down the leftfield line and Shane French followed with his second home run of the season to make the game 6-5.

In the ninth with two on and only one out, Delaware closer David Slovak induced a double play ground ball from catcher Jonathan Batts to end the game.

Heppner pitched 2.1 innings to pick up the win and move to 2-4, while Dickens took the loss to fall to 1-2. Slovak struck out two and did not allow a hit in 1.2 innings to pick up his fourth save.

The Hens and Seahawks continue their series tomorrow at 1 p.m. at Bob Hannah Stadium.

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