NEWARK, DE -- The University of Delaware baseball team won its first home Colonial Athletic Association series of the season after rebounding from a 5-3 loss in the opening game of Saturday afternoon’s doubleheader to capture the nightcap, 5-1, against Northeastern at Bob Hannah Stadium.

Coupled with the Hens’ win in Friday afternoon’s series opener, the team won its second series of the season after also capturing its season-opening three-game set with The Citadel.

Senior tri-captain Adam Tsakonas (at right) provided the offensive spark for the Hens, roping five hits during the twinbill including a 4-for-4 performance in the second game.

After dropping the first game of the day, Delaware (5-12, 2-4 CAA) struck first in the nightcap. In the third, Kyle Davis, Tsakonas, and Alex Buchholz roped three consecutive singles which put Delaware on the board. The following inning, Davis and Tsakonas played a key role in the team’s two-run rally that put the Hens up, 3-0.

In the fourth, Ryan Reed singled and was followed by back-to-back walks to Josh Dean and Davis. With the bases loaded, Northeastern brought in reliever Sheldon McDonald, who was quickly greeted by Tsakonas, who smacked a two-run single off the sophomore southpaw.

The three runs were really all the Hens needed as starting pitcher Brad Miller was stellar on the mound for the Hens, quieting the Huskie bats through the first five innings before surrendering Northeastern’s first run of the game on back-to-back doubles in the sixth by Frank Compagnone and Mike Tamsin. The doubles ended Miller’s day as Delaware brought in reliever Michael Londino to finish the job.

Tsakonas answered Northeastern (7-6, 1-2) in the bottom of the frame, clocking a two-run shot to right that brought in Scott Shockley, who had led off the inning with a single. The home run was Tsakonas’ team-leading seventh of the season. With it, he tied his season output from last year, which he reached over the span of 45 games.

Following that point, the Blue Hen bullpen locked down the game as Londino, who also worked a perfect frame in the first game, fired 2.1 innings of scoreless relief before handing the ball off to closer David Slovak. Although the senior found himself in a bases-loaded jam in the ninth, he worked out of it to hold the score at 5-1 and seal the victory.

Miller (1-0) earned the win after striking out seven while scattering four hits over 5.2 strong innings of work. Les Williams took the loss for the Huskies after surrendering Delaware’s first three runs during his 3.1 innings on the mound.

In the first game, Delaware was set back after suffering through a hard-luck second inning that saw Northeastern score three runs. After Ryan Maguire reached on an error by Buchholz, David Gustafson roped a double down the right field line. With runners on second and third, the Huskies scored their first run after starter Brian Rorick uncorked a wild pitch that brought home Maguire.

After Rorick recorded his first out, catcher Ryan Reed let a ball slip out of his glove as Gustafson came racing home for the team’s second run. Tony DiCesare then followed with a double to right but was erased on a fielder’s choice. Tamsin followed with a two-out walk before Mike Lyon hit a dribbler down the first base line that veered into foul territory before jumping back across the line for an infield single. With the bases loaded, Josh Porter was walked to bring in the third run before freshman Matt Harden came in to relieve Rorick and work out of the jam.

In the bottom of the fourth, Delaware looked primed to score a run after Tsakonas led off the inning with a double to left field. The Hens were quickly turned away, though, as starter Jeff Thomson recorded two outs before Tamsin, the team’s leftfielder, made a great diving play to rob Bill Merkler of a hit and the Hens of their first run.

Three innings later, Delaware finally got on the board as the team chased two across the plate with the benefit of two Huskie errors. The usually strong Northeastern defense came apart in the final inning as Bill Merkler reached on an error by Maguire, and two batters later, Pat Dameron found his way to second after a miscue by second baseman Dave Fisher.

Ryan Cuneo and Scott Shockley made the Huskies pay for their errors after Cuneo notched an RBI groundout before Shockley ripped a screaming double to center that brought in Dameron. Thomson settled down and worked out of the jam, though, inducing a ground out by Davis to end the Blue Hen threat and lock up the victory.

Thomson (2-1), who fired a complete game while scattering four hits and allowing just a single earned run, picked up the win for Northeastern. Rorick (1-3) took the loss.

Along with Tsakonas’ five hits on the day, Buchholz had two hits and two RBI, while Shockley added two hits and a run scored.

The Blue Hens will return to action on Thursday at 3 p.m. to begin a three-game non-conference series with Lafayette at Bob Hannah Stadium.

Game No. 1 Boxscore

Game No. 2 Boxscore