Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell

Boxscore

BROOKLINE, Mass. - The University of Delaware baseball team jumped out to an early four-run lead, but the Blue Hens could not hold on to their advantage as Northeastern stormed back to clinch an 8-5 victory at the Friedman Diamond on Saturday afternoon.

Josh Dean (at right) played a vital role in helping Delaware (23-17, 8-9) grab its early advantage as the junior outfielder knocked in three of the team’s five runs. Despite his efforts, Northeastern (25-20, 10-10) posted a pair of three-run innings to overcome its deficit and grab the victory.

The Blue Hens looked strong early as the squad spotted starter Brad Miller with two quick runs. After Carlos Alonso extended his on-base streak to 40 games with a line-drive double to left center, Ryan Cuneo immediately followed with a two-run shot to right.

The defense helped quiet an early Northeastern response after turning an inning-ending double play in the first before the Delaware offense got back to work in the third.

Bill Merkler reached on an error to start the inning before Chris Nehl drew a one-out walk. Two batters later, with both Blue Hen runners sitting in scoring position, Dean ripped a clutch two-out single to right center that gave Delaware a 4-0 advantage.

With the Hens slowly pulling away, the Huskies quickly reeled them back in. After Matt Miller worked a one-out walk and Frank Compagnone was hit by a pitch, a Delaware error led to the hosts first run in the bottom of the third. Later, James Donaldson poked a two-run double into right center that pulled Northeastern back to within one at 4-3.

In their very next trip to the plate, the Huskies knotted the game at four as Compagnone lifted a bases-loaded sacrifice fly to right that brought in Sam Berg.

Northeastern briefly grabbed its first lead of the game on a two-out solo home run by Jeff Dunlap in the fifth, but Delaware quickly responded in kind. With one out in the sixth, Dean slammed his own solo blast into right center that retied the game at five.

The back-and-forth battle continued in the bottom of the sixth as the momentum swung back towards Northeastern. After Miller struck out the first batter of the inning, Northeastern notched back-to-back singles. Following a pitching change, Compagnone came back to hurt Delaware yet again as the junior leftfielder lined a double to center that drove in the first run of the inning.

After the Hens opted to load the bases with an intentional walk to Mike Tamsin, Donaldson hit a two-run double to right. Although Corey Crispell escaped without any further damage, Northeastern walked away from the inning with an 8-5 advantage.

With a comfortable lead, the Huskies brought in closer Dan Zehr, who finished off the Hens for his seventh save of the season as he shut out Delaware over the last three innings of play.

Ryan Quigley (3-5) earned the win after striking out 12 while allowing just three earned runs in six innings of work. Brad Miller (4-4) was handed the loss after surrendering four earned runs in his 5.1 innings of work. He also struck out five and scattered eight hits.

Donaldson led the Northeastern attack with two hits and four RBI. Compagnone also went 2-for-3 with two RBI and a pair of runs scored.

The two teams will cap their three-game series tomorrow with a 1 p.m. showdown.