Photos Courtesy of Chris Mlynarczyk

Game No. 1 Boxscore

Game No. 2 Boxscore

NEWARK, Del. - Ryan Cuneo, Pat Dameron, and Josh Dean clubbed back-to-back-to-back home runs in the fifth inning of the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader to highlight a sweep by the University of Delaware baseball team over Fairleigh Dickinson, 9-4 and 11-10, at Bob Hannah Stadium.

Dameron (top right) finished the day with three home runs and eight RBI to lead the potent Delaware offense. Carlos Alonso (bottom right) also went 3-for-6 to extend his hitting streak to 28 games. That roll is not only the longest active streak in the nation, but it is also tied for the longest in program history. George Gross set the record at 28 from 1976-77, and Mike Gomez matched it in 1991.

In the bottom of the first, Fairleigh Dickinson opened the scoring only after Alonso made a phenomenal play to gun down the Knight lead-off hitter. After Matt Holsman reached out to poke a bouncer down the third base line, Alonso barehanded a bad hop and threw an off-balance strike across the diamond to catch Holsman by a step.

Despite the play, the very next hitter tacked the first run on the board as Stephen LaForge clocked a solo shot to right to give FDU a 1-0 lead.

After flashing some leather, Alonso quickly started a Blue Hen rally in the bottom of the first. He led off the frame with a base hit to leftfield before Dave Anderson drew a walk. Two batters later, Dameron launched an opposite field blast that gave Delaware a 3-1 edge.

The lead was short-lived, however, as Fairleigh Dickinson plated a pair in the top of the second. During the inning, Ryan Kresky roped an RBI triple into the right centerfield gap before coming around to score himself on an overthrow at the plate.

Two innings later, Delaware pieced together a response. After Dean led off the frame with a walk, Hank Yates chased him in with a triple to left. Later, Steve Ulaky recorded a sacrifice fly before Todd Menchaca and D.J. Long ripped back-to-back singles. Alonso then capped the three-run rally with another sac fly.

With a pair of three-run innings already on the board, the Blue Hens capped the scoring with another one in the fifth. This time, Delaware tossed up a three-spot with an impressive performance. Cuneo obliterated a pitch that landed near the woods behind the rightfield fence. Dameron came next with nearly an identical blast before Dean followed suit with the Hens’ third straight bomb.

Leading by a comfortable margin at 9-3, the Blue Hens allowed one run in the sixth on an RBI hit by Mike Eliasen, but reliever Matt Harden took over in the seventh and retired the Knights in order to close out the victory.

Eric Buckland (2-2) earned the win after scattering seven hits and four runs while striking out four in six innings on the mound. Ashley Bulluck (0-2) took the loss after surrendering all nine Delaware runs in his four innings of work.

With a win already under their belts, the Hens jumped out quickly in the nightcap. Alonso wasted no time extending his hitting streak after he clubbed a leadoff homer in the bottom of the first. Later, Anderson drew a walk and Cuneo ripped an RBI double down the rightfield line to hand Delaware a 2-0 edge.

After the Hens extended their lead to three in the second following a double by Aaron Mascoe and an RBI fielder’s choice by Alonso, the Knights responded. Fairleigh Dickinson plated four runs on four hits, including a two-out, two-run double by Eric Anderson, to grab a 4-3 advantage.

With their first lead of the game, FDU quickly gained some breathing room in the top of the fourth when Matt Holsman punched a two-run shot to left.

Trailing by three, the Hens flipped their deficit around with a huge six-run rally in the bottom of the frame. Long and Anderson started the scoring with RBI singles before Cuneo was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Dameron came up next, and after working a 3-0 count, he blasted the next pitch he saw to left centerfield for a grand slam that put Delaware up, 9-6.

In the fifth, UD extended its lead without the benefit of a hit. Menchaca worked a leadoff walk before advancing to second on a groundout. After Alonso was hit by a pitch, both runners moved up on a wild pitch before Anderson lofted a sacrifice fly to center.

With Delaware up by four, the two squads traded runs in the seventh after the Knights scored an unearned run in the top of the frame before Alonso answered with an RBI single in the bottom half.

Although Fairleigh Dickinson came back with a nerve-wracking three-run rally in the top of the ninth, reliever Chris Branigan came in and worked out of a bases-loaded jam to clinch the victory and earn his first save of the season.

Kyle Thomas (1-0) picked up his first career victory after working 2.2 scoreless innings of relief. Ray Courtney (0-1) took the loss after allowing eight earned runs in 3.2 innings of work.

The two teams will conclude their four-game series tomorrow at 1 p.m.