Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell

Boxscore

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - The University of Delaware baseball team is headed back to Citizens Bank Park after capturing a 14-8 victory over Penn during the semifinals of the Liberty Bell Classic at Meiklejohn Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.

With the victory, Delaware (14-11) advances to the finals of the tournament for the second straight year. The Hens will face the winner of the other semifinal game that pits Lehigh against Villanova. The finals will be held on Tuesday, April 20 at the home of the defending National League Champion Philadelphia Phillies.

At the forefront of the Hens’ potent attack was Ryan Cuneo (at right), who posted a 3-for-5 performance during the game. The senior standout also scored three runs and notched three RBI. Carlos Alonso and Josh Dean both had three hits as well, while Pat Dameron knocked in three.

Second baseman D.J. Long also recorded a pair of hits to extend his hitting streak to 20 games. That streak is not only a freshman record, but it is also tied for the 10th longest roll in program history.

After Delaware jumped out to an early five-run lead in the third, Penn (12-11) fought back in the middle innings as the squad plated six straight to overcome the early deficit and snatch an 8-7 lead heading into the seventh.

Staring at their first deficit of the game, the Hens remained unfazed. Two straight singles by Dean and Steve Ulaky kicked off a seventh-inning rally. Hank Yates followed with an RBI ground out, and after Ulaky moved to third, he came around with the go-ahead run on a wild pitch that gave Delaware a slim 9-8 advantage.

Feeling the need for some breathing room, the Hens came back for more in the eighth. After Alonso was hit by a pitch, Dave Anderson reached on an error, and Cuneo drew a walk, Dameron lofted a bases-loaded sacrifice fly to left that opened a three-run rally. Dean and Ulaky quickly followed with back-to-back RBI singles, which extended Delaware’s lead to four at 12-8.

With little interest in backing off, the Blue Hen bats did a little more damage in the ninth to seal the victory. Alonso doubled to left and scored when Cuneo ripped an RBI single to right. Later, Dameron capped the scoring with a double down the leftfield line that gave the Hens a 14-8 lead.

Reliever Michael O’Keeffe (1-0) picked up the win for UD after retiring all four batters that he faced. Nick Young also had another strong outing out of the bullpen as the junior right-hander struck out a pair in two scoreless innings of work.

Early on in the game, it looked as though the Blue Hens would make quick work of the Quakers. In the first, the squad jumped out fast as the first four batters of the game reached base safely. Alonso led off with a single, Dave Anderson was hit by a pitch, and Cuneo tripled in the first two to put the Hens on the board. Dameron followed with a single up the middle that chased in Cuneo and gave the squad a 3-0 lead.

Not to be outdone, Penn answered in the bottom of the frame. Following a Blue Hen error, a hit batsman, and a wild pitch, Mike Mariano came through with an RBI fielder’s choice before William Gordon knocked in a run with a base hit to pull Penn within one at 3-2.

With their lead being challenged, the Hens tossed a four-spot on the board in the third. Dean started the surge with an RBI single to center. Later, he scored on a passed ball after he stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch.

Later, following another wild pitch and an Aaron Mascoe single, Delaware had a pair of runners in scoring position. With two outs, Long came through with a clutch single to left that brought in two runs and gave UD a seemingly comfortable 7-2 advantage.

Although Penn quickly plated a run in the bottom of the third, the hosts had their biggest rally in the fifth. A triple, error, and back-to-back walks brought in the first run and loaded the bases with only one out. Following a pitching change, James Mraz drew a walk that plated another run before RBIs by Derek Vigoa and Will Davis evened the game at seven.

During their very next trip to the plate, the Quakers took their first lead of the game after Jeremy Maas doubled to left and Dan Williams poked an RBI single through the right side of the infield.

Despite the shift in momentum, the first Penn lead also proved to be the squad’s last as the Hens scored seven unanswered runs in the final three frames to walk away with a 14-8 victory.

Delaware will be back in action on Friday at Bob Hannah Stadium when the team opens a three-game series with UNC Wilmington at 3 p.m.