Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell
Boxscore

TOWSON, Md. - A two-out, two-run triple by Carlos Alonso in the top of the 10th propelled the University of Delaware baseball team to a 9-7 victory over Towson in the Blue Hens’ Colonial Athletic Association opener at Schuerholz Park on Friday afternoon.

Although the Tigers rallied from three runs down to tie the game in the last two innings of play, Alonso ripped a triple that plated Scott Shockley and Pat Dameron to give Delaware (11-6, 1-0 CAA) the victory.

Shockley (at right) finished with three hits, including a home run, and two stolen bases. Alonso chipped in with a pair of hits and two runs scored.

After Towson (11-9, 0-1) mounted a comeback and rallied for three runs in the eighth and ninth to knot the game at seven, the Blue Hens responded quickly in extra innings. Shockley led off the rally with a single before swiping second. After Dameron worked a walk, Alonso proved to be the hero as the junior third baseman lined a triple into the left centerfield gap to give Delaware a two-run advantage.

Sophomore Corey Crispell then shut down the Tiger attack in the bottom of the frame as he retired the side in order to clinch the victory. Crispell (4-1) picked up the win after allowing just one earned run over the last 2.1 innings of play.

In the early going, Delaware looked strong. Jared Olson gave the team a quick lead in the first after drilling an RBI double to left center than brought in Chris Nehl. The following inning, after Towson evened the score, Shockley led off with his fifth home run of the season.

Following Shockley’s blast, the Hens loaded the bases with singles by Kyle Davis and Alonso and a walk to Ryan Cuneo. Nehl tacked on the team’s third run with an RBI ground out, while a wild pitch gave the team a 4-1 advantage. Olson then capped the early scoring with an RBI single to center.

Delaware starter Brian Rorick looked strong in his fifth start of the season. With an early lead, he shut down the Tigers. The junior ace held Towson, one of the top offensive teams in the conference, to just four runs in the first seven innings of play.

Although the Tigers slowly scratched away at the lead, Delaware added a run in both the fourth and sixth. Alonso took advantage of two Towson errors in the fourth to give the team a four-run advantage, while Nehl rocked a single to left that plated Davis in the sixth.

Towson eventually fought back to within three at 7-4 entering the bottom of the eighth. Unfortunately, Delaware could not hold on to its late lead as the Tigers pieced together a pair in the eighth and one in the ninth to send the game into extra innings.

Despite the momentum shift, Alonso quickly turned the tables in the 10th with his clutch triple to give the Hens the victory.

Nehl and Olson both finished with two hits for Delaware, while Davis scored twice. Towson was led by Chris Wychock, who had three hits and two RBI.

Nate Curd (4-2) took the loss after allowing two runs in his 1.2 innings out of the bullpen.

Delaware and Towson will continue their three-game series tomorrow at 1 p.m.