Photos Courtesy of Mark Campbell

Game No. 1 Boxscore

Game No. 2 Boxscore

NEWARK, Del. -Josh Dean roped four hits and knocked in five runs for the Blue Hens, while Michael Londino pieced together a masterful complete game shutout to lead the University of Delaware baseball team to a doubleheader sweep against Delaware State, 10-4 and 6-0, on Tuesday afternoon at Bob Hannah Stadium.

Londino (top right) was the star of the day, tossing a nine-inning shutout in the second game of the twin bill. During the contest, he silenced the Delaware State lineup and allowed only two balls to leave the infield. He eventually finished the game with seven strikeouts while scattering a pair of hits.

His performance marked the first nine-inning shutout by a Blue Hen at Bob Hannah Stadium in 11 years. The last pitcher to accomplish the feat was Dave Mullin, who kept Saint Joseph’s quiet in a 14-0 victory over the Hawks on March 19, 1999.

On the offensive side, Dean (bottom right) finished the day 4-for-8 with five RBI and four runs scored. He also clubbed his team-leading fourth home run of the season. Carlos Alonso had another outstanding day at the plate as well, collecting five hits, including four in the nightcap. With his performance, he extended his career-long hitting streak to 25 games, which stands as the fifth longest in program history. He has also reached base safely in all 61 games of his career.

In their first trip to the plate, the Hens (5-7) pieced together a quick six-run rally. Alonso and Dave Anderson started the frame with back-to-back singles before Ryan Cuneo was plunked by a pitch. With the bases loaded, Pat Dameron ripped a single to right that chased in two.

After the Hornets (3-9) picked up the first out of the inning, Dean continued the Delaware surge with an RBI single to right. Todd Menchaca followed with a two-run double to left before D.J. Long capped the scoring with an RBI double that gave the Hens a 6-0 advantage.

With a comfortable lead, Blue Hen starter Brian Rorick escaped a bases-loaded jam in the third after sending a pair of Hornets down swinging. One inning later, he was not as fortunate.

In the top of the fourth, Delaware State loaded the bases with no outs after working three straight walks. Later, Brandon Crist lined a two-run single to right before another walk and a Blue Hen miscue brought in two more to pull the Hornets within two at 6-4.

With DSU mounting a comeback, Delaware answered in the bottom of the fifth. Dean crushed a double to left center and advanced to third on a ground out. Later, Matt Greco beat out an infield single to short that chased home Dean.

The very next inning, the Hens put the game away. With one out, Anderson launched a solo shot to left before Cuneo lined a single to right and Dameron worked a walk. After the Hornets got the second out of the inning, Dean came through again with a two-run double to deep left centerfield.

Leading 10-4, reliever Eric Buckland slammed the door shut. After taking over for Rorick in the fourth, the freshman flame-thrower struck out three and held the Hornets hitless over the final 3.1 innings. He also benefited from a phenomenal defensive play in the seventh by Greco, who chased a deep fly ball into the right centerfield gap before laying out to snag the ball in his out-stretched glove.

Buckland (1-2) eventually earned his first career victory for his efforts on the mound. Ryan Haas (0-3) took the loss after allowing 10 runs on 11 hits in six innings of work.

Riding a nice wave of momentum from the opener, the Hens picked up right where they left off in the nightcap. In the bottom of the first, Alonso and Anderson roped back-to-back hits before Dameron reached on an error to load the bases. Steve Ulaky followed with a long fly ball that was eventually tracked down by the Hornet centerfielder but allowed Alonso to tag and score.

Two innings later, Delaware came through with another one of their patented big rallies. Once again, the top of the order was at the heart of the damage as Alonso led off with a single before Anderson was hit by a pitch. Cuneo came through next with an RBI double to right, while Dameron lofted a sacrifice fly to center.

With a pair of runs already in, Dean quickly extended the Blue Hens’ lead and continued his impressive afternoon after crushing a two-run blast to left center that gave the squad a 5-0 edge.

Holding a comfortable advantage, Londino looked dominant on the mound. During the first six innings of the game, the side-wheeling right-hander sent the Hornets down in order five times. Over that stretch, he allowed just two base runners and struck out six.

As the Hornets remained quiet, the Hens struck again. After Dean reached on an error to start the sixth, he moved to second on a ground ball, stole third, and came around to score on an RBI double by Long.

After retiring 10 Delaware State batters in a row, Londino faced a minor jam in the seventh. Keith Hernandez worked a lead-off walk and Abe Eubank punched a one-out single through the right side of the infield, but the Delaware defense came through with a beautiful 5-4-3 double play to end the threat.

Back in command, Londino (2-1) sent the Hornets down in order in the eighth before allowing one runner to reach in the ninth. Sensing the shutout, he quickly induced back-to-back groundouts to seal his complete game gem.

Elliott Gardner (0-1) took the loss for Delaware State after scattering nine hits and four earned runs over six innings of work.

Delaware will be back in action on Friday when the team hosts Fairleigh Dickinson at 2:30 p.m.