• Live Video (fee) / Live Stats

Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell

WILMINGTON, N.C. – The University of Delaware baseball team will begin its quest for a Colonial Athletic Association championship on Wednesday at 12 noon when the Blue Hens battle No. 1 seed George Mason at UNC Wilmington’s Brooks Field.

Delaware, which earned the No. 6 seed after finishing the regular season with a 27-18 record and an 11-10 mark in the CAA, will battle the top-seeded Patriots (40-10, 19-5) to open the playoffs.

In other opening day action, No. 2 Georgia State will battle No. 5 Northeastern at 3:30 p.m., while No. 3 UNC Wilmington will square off with No. 4 Old Dominion at 7 p.m.

All-Tournament passes cost $20 for adults and $12 for youth. Day passes for adults can be purchased for $10, while daily youth tickets are $5.

The Blue Hens enter the playoffs riding a four-game winning streak, including a sweep of Virginia Commonwealth last weekend that propelled the team into the postseason.

Delaware is one of only two teams that rank in the top-five in the CAA in both combined batting average and ERA. Entering the playoffs, the squad stands third in the conference with a .324 batting average, while the pitching staff ranks fifth with a 5.45 ERA. Only George Mason can boast a similarly balanced attack.

Carlos Alonso leads the way for the Blue Hen offense, ranking seventh in the CAA with a .387 batting average and fifth with a .489 on-base percentage. The team’s lead-off hitter throughout the season, he also stands eighth in the league with 56 runs scored.

Ryan Cuneo (at right) and Bill Merkler provide the powerful punch in the middle of the order. Cuneo ranks fifth in the conference with 16 home runs, while Merkler stands sixth with 15. Together, they are only the second pair of Blue Hens to post at least 15 home runs in the same season since the team joined the CAA.

Junior Brian Rorick and freshman Rich O’Donald have anchored the rotation all year long for Delaware. Rorick leads the league with 83.0 innings pitched and ranks third with 88 strikeouts. During the year, he has posted a 4-3 record to go along with a 4.99 ERA.

O’Donald has also been a consistent force in the rotation throughout his freshman campaign. He has posted a 5-3 record and ranks third in the CAA with a .242 batting-average-against. His 4.18 ERA also stands eighth among conference pitchers.

George Mason, which ranks 29th nationally in the most recent NCBWA poll, is led by an equally balanced squad highlighted by catcher Chris Henderson. The junior slugger currently ranks second in the league with a .427 batting average, 65 runs scored, and 21 doubles. Scott Krieger also leads the CAA with 18 home runs and 76 RBI.

On the hill, the Patriots are guided by Kevin Crum and Mike Modica, who both rank in the top-10 in ERA. Modica also leads the league with 10 wins and a .228 batting-average-against, while Crum ranks seventh in opponents’ batting average and second in wins.

The winner of the first round game will advance to face the loser of the UNC Wilmington-Old Dominion contest. The loser will face either Georgia State or Northeastern.

For more information on the tournament, please visit CAAsports.com.