Photo Courtesy of Chris Permar

Boxscore

NEWARK, Del. – Although the University of Delaware baseball team rallied from an early seven-run deficit to knot the game and send it into extra innings, James Madison put the Blue Hens away with a run in the top of the 10th to clinch an 8-7 victory on Friday afternoon at Bob Hannah Stadium.

Chris Nehl (at right) launched his fifth home run of the season to start a seven-run rally for Delaware (21-13, 7-6 CAA) in the sixth. Despite the sixth-inning heroics, the Hens could not quite pull out the victory against James Madison (22-17, 7-6), who has now won five straight against Delaware dating back to the 2007 season.

Trailing by seven entering the bottom of the sixth, the Blue Hens refused to go down quietly. Nehl jump started the rally with a two-run shot to left. After Jared Olson doubled to right, Pat Dameron traded places with him with his own two-out double.

Following a walk to Kyle Davis, Carlos Alonso roped the team’s third two-base hit of the inning which chased home Dameron and Davis. Later, after Ryan Cuneo was hit by a pitch and Bill Merkler walked, Ryan Reed capped the seven-run inning after drilling a shot that was mishandled by the Dukes and eventually brought in Alonso and Cuneo.

With the ballgame tied at seven, the pitching staffs settled in. Both teams were held without a run for the next three frames entering extra innings.

In the top of the 10th, Mike Fabiaschi got the Dukes started with a one-out double to right field. Chris Johnson followed with an RBI single that proved to be the game-winning hit.

After Corey Crispell put away the next two James Madison hitters, Delaware could not muster another comeback in the bottom of the inning as Kevin Munson (2-2) retired the side in order to pick up the victory.

Crispell (4-3) was handed the loss despite allowing just one run on three hits while striking out four during his three innings out of the bullpen.

Although the contest served as a match-up of the league’s top-two strikeout pitchers in Brian Rorick and Turner Phelps, the two lineups seemed to have their number. The pair of aces combined for 14 strikeouts, but each allowed seven runs during their time on the mound.

James Madison jumped out quickly, plating three in the top of the first. After Matt Townsend extended his hitting streak to 29 games with a lead-off single, David Herbek moved him to third with a base hit of his own. Alex Foltz drove in the first run with a two-out RBI single before Fabiaschi followed with a two-run double to right center that spotted the visitors a 3-0 lead.

Delaware looked to be in prime position to answer after the squad loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the first as Cuneo and Reed both drew walks while Bill Merkler beat out an infield single. Despite the threat, the Hens came away empty-handed as Phelps sent the next two hitters down on strikes.

After Rorick retired the Dukes quickly in the second, they came back for another run in the third as the squad pieced together three straight singles and took advantage of a two-base error to grab a four-run advantage.

With Phelps still cruising through the Delaware order, James Madison tacked another run on the board in the fifth on a solo shot by Matt Browning and two more in the sixth when Townsend hit his team-leading 15th home run of the season.

Despite the imposing deficit, the Hens showed great resolve as they fought back into the game with their seven-run sixth. Unfortunately, the rally was not enough to overcome the Dukes’ extra-inning heroics.

Reed finished the game with two hits for Delaware, while Nehl and Alonso both knocked in a pair of runs.

The two teams will continue their three-game series tomorrow at 2 p.m.