Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell

Boxscore

DOVER, Del. -Junior catcher Todd Menchaca posted three hits and knocked in four runs to help lead the University of Delaware baseball team to a 13-8 victory over intrastate rival Delaware State on a wet Tuesday afternoon at Soldier Field.

Menchaca (at right) finished the day 3-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored, and four RBI. He was aided in his efforts by Josh Dean and Steve Ulaky, who each scored three times. Carlos Alonso also had two hits and a pair of RBI.

Second baseman D.J. Long extended his hitting streak to 24 games with a single in the fourth inning for Delaware (15-14). That roll is currently tied for the sixth longest in program history.

After Delaware State (8-19) opened the scoring in the bottom of the second on an RBI groundout by Joey Babuca, the Blue Hens answered with a vengeance. In the top of the third, Delaware jumped ahead with a clutch two-out, three-run rally.

During the surge, Chris Branigan drew a walk before Alonso beat out an infield single. With two down and a pair of runners on base, Ryan Cuneo opened the scoring with a single to right center. Later, a wild pitch allowed Alonso to come home before Pat Dameron knocked in Cuneo with a base hit to right.

Staring at a two-run deficit, the Hornets fought back. Warren Stimpson poked a single to left and Keith Hernandez worked a walk. Two batters later, Tony Gatto lined a double to right that quickly evened the game at three.

With Delaware State back in the game, UD took advantage of a Hornet miscue on the way to another three-run inning in the fourth. After Dean reached on an error, Ulaky worked a walk and Menchaca smacked a double to left that broke the deadlock. Later, a sacrifice fly by Alonso and an RBI single by Long gave Delaware a nice 6-3 advantage.

Although the Hornets loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning, reliever Michael O’Keeffe worked out of the jam to maintain the three-run edge. Feeling the need for some added breathing room, Delaware shot back in the top of the fifth to grab a comfortable lead.

In the inning, Hank Yates legged out an infield single and Dean walked. Ulaky followed with an RBI double to right that chased in the first run before a pair of wild pitches brought in two more. With the bases empty, Menchaca put the exclamation mark on the inning with a solo shot to right that gave the team a 10-3 lead.

With a seven-run edge, the Hens had little interest in pulling back the reins. In the seventh, Dean walked and Ulaky was hit by a pitch. Both runners advanced on a double-steal before Menchaca smacked a two-run single to center.

Although Delaware State tacked on three runs in the seventh and two more in the eighth to pull within four at 12-8, Delaware eventually cruised to the victory. Brian Rorick helped the squad escape more damage in the eighth after punching out three Hornets before an RBI single by Alonso extended the team’s lead to five in the ninth.

Eventually, Rorick returned to the mound and pieced together a perfect 1-2-3 inning to seal the victory. Michael O’Keeffe (2-0) earned the win for the Hens, while Shane Foreman (1-4) took the loss for the Hornets.

Delaware will be back in action tomorrow when the team hosts Saint Joseph’s at 3 p.m.