NEWARK, DE -- The University of Delaware baseball team won its second straight Colonial Athletic Association series at Bob Hannah Stadium after the Hens split their doubleheader against Hofstra with an 8-6 win in the nightcap after suffering a 10-1 setback in the opener on Saturday afternoon.

Alex Buchholz (at right) and Ryan Cuneo both hit home runs for Delaware (10-18, 5-7 CAA), while Ryan Reed and Buchholz both finished with three hits on the day. Matt Harden also added two hits and a pair of RBI.

For Hofstra (11-21, 1-14), leftfielder Anthony Sarno did his best Adam Tsakonas impersonation after clubbing three home runs in the opener just a day after the Hens’ senior tri-captain did the same in Friday’s contest. The Pride’s senior standout eventually finished with six hits and five RBI during the twin bill.

After Hofstra scored 10 in the first game, the Pride’s offensive surge carried over into the nightcap as the team scored twice in the first inning off a two-run double by Matt Kougasian.

Delaware immediately responded with a seven-run inning in the bottom of the frame. Following a walk by Kyle Davis and a single off the bat of Adam Tsakonas, Buchholz and Scott Shockley roped back-to-back RBI singles. After Reed continued the rally with a walk, Danny Overcash ripped a sacrifice fly to left before Chris Nehl worked the team’s third walk of the inning to load the bases.

Harden and Josh Dean helped clear the basepaths after the former roped a two-run single to right before Dean notched an RBI hit that plated Nehl. Fittingly, after scoring the first run of the inning, Davis capped off the rally with an RBI fielder’s choice that brought in Harden.

Unfazed by the Hens’ resurgence, the Pride came back to score three in the second to cut their deficit to two at 7-5. Dave Cole and Matt Prokopowicz both recorded RBI singles before Kougasian worked a bases-loaded walk off reliever Jared Olson to bring home the team’s third run.

Hofstra eventually cut into the lead further after a run-scoring single by Dion Pouncil pulled the Pride within one at 7-6. They would get no closer, however, as Buchholz cracked his third home run of the season, and his second in as many days, to put Delaware back up by two.

The Pride put together one more rally in the top of the seventh after Kougasian was hit by a pitch and Pouncil walked to put two men on with no outs. At that point, Delaware brought in freshman reliever Michael Londino to work out of the jam. After the righty struck out Tony Schmitt, Reed made the defensive play of the day to end the threat. Playing at first base for the first time in his career, he looked like a veteran after tracking a foul pop to the fence along the first base line. After making the grab while simultaneously running into the wall, he regrouped, turned, and fired a strike to second base that cut down Pouncil who was attempting to advance.

After that point, Londino settled in and shut down the Hofstra offense with consecutive 1-2-3 innings. For his efforts, he earned the first save of his career, while Jared Olson (1-1) picked up the win with 4.1 innings of excellent relief. Nick Panzarella (1-5) suffered the loss for Hofstra.

Delaware was not as fortunate in the first game after falling behind by two in the top of the third. Hofstra seemed poised to take a commanding lead in the inning after Sarno hit his first home run of the day and Elliot Hagburg and Kougasian roped back-to-back singles. Cuneo stepped up to stop the rally, however, as the first baseman made a great diving play on a rocket by Pouncil. After knocking the ball down, he regained his footing and beat the Pride’s designated hitter to the bag to end the inning.

Immediately after posting the defensive play of the game, Cuneo led off the bottom of the third with his first home run of the season on a blast over the right field wall. That proved to be the final highlight of the game for the Hens, though, as Hofstra found its stride in the top of the fourth.

Already up 2-1, the Pride padded its lead after scoring five while batting around during the team’s fourth trip to the plate. Hofstra eventually banged out five hits in the inning, including RBI singles by Cole and Pouncil as well as Sarno’s second two-run shot of the game.

With its lead extended to 7-1, Hofstra cruised to the nine-run victory after adding one insurance run during its last three trips to the plate. The team’s final run came in the seventh on Sarno’s third homer of the game.

Rob Kumbatovic (1-4) earned the win for the Pride after firing a complete game five-hitter. Brad Miller was handed the loss after surrendering seven earned runs in his 3.1 innings of work.

The Blue Hens will return to the diamond on Tuesday at 3 p.m. when they take on Delaware State at Bob Hannah Stadium.

Game No. 1 Boxscore

Game No. 2 Boxscore