Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell

Game No. 1 Boxscore

Game No. 2 Boxscore

NEWARK, Del. – The University of Delaware baseball team came out on the short-end of both games of Saturday’s wild Colonial Athletic Association doubleheader against Georgia State as the Blue Hens dropped 19-10 and 11-7 decisions at a windswept Bob Hannah Stadium.

The two teams took advantage of the incredible wind that blew out to rightfield throughout the game. With gusts of wind reported up to 45 miles per hour, home plate turned into a launching pad during the twin bill. The two lineups eventually combined for 55 hits, 47 runs, and 13 home runs during the afternoon.

Bill Merkler and Ryan Reed (at right) led the way for Delaware (17-10, 4-4 CAA) as both standouts clocked a pair of home runs. Ryan Cuneo also had a strong day at the plate, roping four doubles in 10 at bats.

Despite the best efforts of the Blue Hen offense, the team simply could not keep up with Georgia State (19-8, 4-1). Four Panthers clubbed two home runs, including Chase Childers who finished the afternoon with six hits and eight RBI.

At the start of the day, Delaware looked strong as the squad jumped on the board first with a five-spot in the bottom of the second. After the Hens loaded the bases following walks to Jared Olson, Pat Dameron, and Kyle Davis, Carlos Alonso brought in the first run with an RBI groundout.

Although the wind was lifting shots to right field, the Blue Hens peppered left as they continued their two-out rally. Cuneo slammed an opposite-field double that plated two before Chris Nehl and Reed also ripped RBI knocks to left to secure an early 5-0 advantage.

Following a single run in the third, the Panthers came roaring back in the fifth. Capitalizing on two wind-blown doubles, a pair of miscues by the Blue Hens, and a solo home run by Derek Simmons, Georgia State quickly flipped a four-run deficit into an 8-5 lead.

In their very next trip to the plate, the Panthers put the game away as the team tacked six more runs on the board. Childers posted a three-run home run to highlight the rally that gave the visitors a 14-5 advantage.

Despite being down nine, the Blue Hens posted a late run to pull back within striking distance. In the sixth, Merkler reached on a single before Reed launched a two-run shot to left. The next inning, Merkler came back to do more damage as the senior slugger slammed a three-run blast to left that brought Delaware back within five at 15-10.

Unfortunately, the Panthers responded with four runs in the top of the ninth to clinch the 19-10 victory.

Robinson Polanco (2-1) earned the win for Georgia State, while Brian Rorick (2-1) took the loss. It marked the first time all season that Delaware dropped a game started by Rorick.

Georgia State carried its momentum over into the early part of the nightcap as the team took advantage of two Blue Hen errors to grab an early 1-0 lead. Delaware briefly tied the game in the bottom of the second when Matt Greco ripped an RBI double down the rightfield line that brought home Reed, who had opened the rally with his own two-base hit.

Although Georgia State broke the tie with a run in the third, the Blue Hens answered with three in the bottom of the inning. Alonso kicked off the frame with a single before coming around on Cuneo’s third double of the day.

Two batters later, Merkler put the exclamation mark on the inning, crushing a moon shot to dead centerfield that easily cleared the batter’s eye netting behind the fence. The blast marked his second of the day, fourth of the week, and league-leading 13th of the year.

Despite the blast, Georgia State came back unfazed and pieced together a two-run inning in the fourth to knot the game at four apiece.

For the next three innings, both pitching staffs settled in and kept the lineups quiet until the Panthers struck again in the eighth. Derek Simmons and Carl Moniz started the rally with back-to-back singles before Bradley Logan parked a three-run shot to right that gave the squad a 7-4 lead.

Delaware fought back in the bottom of the frame and eventually pulled within one at 7-6. Reed opened the inning with a single, and after Nick Logan robbed Greco of a hit in the left centerfield gap, Josh Dean found open spaces with an RBI double. Later, Scott Shockley cranked a shot to center that brought in Dean.

With the Blue Hens back in the contest, the Panthers pulled away again. The visitors eventually slapped four more runs on the board in the ninth, including a three-run home run by Marc Mimeault, to put the game out-of-reach.

Although Reed answered with a solo home run in the bottom of the inning, it was simply not enough to reignite the Delaware offense. Will Palmer (3-2) picked up the victory, while Corey Crispell (5-2) took the loss in relief. Aiden Francis also earned a save for his efforts out of the Panther bullpen.

The two teams will conclude their three-game series tomorrow at 11 a.m.