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Bullpen Pitches Six Scoreless Innings, Dameron's Clutch Hit Gives First Place Blue Hens 5-4 Victory over Georgia State

April 2, 2011

Photos Courtesy of Chris Mlynarczyk

NEWARK, Del. - - The University of Delaware baseball team remained in first place in the Colonial Athletic Association by taking its second straight game over Georgia State, 5-4, to win the series on Saturday afternoon at Bob Hannah Stadium.

All aspects of Delaware’s (15-12, 8-3 CAA) game were on display this afternoon, as Pat Dameron (at right) had a clutch hit in the seventh with the game winning run and the bullpen pitched six scoreless innings, four by Corey Crispell, to shut down one of the favorites to win the CAA in Georgia State (21-8, 4-4 CAA).

Once again the Blue Hens found themselves down early, but the home team showed no quit, battling back and not taking their first lead until the seventh inning. Head coach Jim Sherman used six different pitchers today, working the matchups and preserving the lead.

Corey Crispell spelled starter Dan Gatto in the fourth, pitching four innings while only giving up one hit and striking out four batters to earn the win. Jeff Murray, Michael O’Keeffe, Brandon Hinkle and Steve Richter pitched the next two innings, allowing zero runs and only one hit.

DJ Long, Dameron, Nick Ferdinand, and Mascoe collected two hits a piece to lead the Blue Hens. Dameron’s two-out double to the gap in left center proved to be the game-winner, as he knocked in EJ Stoltzfus on the 1-1 pitch.

“As you watch any sport, your most valuable players within your lineup have to come through, they all have to come through in big moments,” Sherman said of his senior captain. “And Pat came through with a big hit. That was so critical.”

But to Sherman, it was all about the bullpen today, as Gatto got knocked around early in the game, only lasting three plus innings. He only gave up three hits, but walked four batters as two of them came around to score.

“Sometimes you have to have a little luck and we are getting some of that too. Earlier in the year we weren’t getting that luck and now the baseball gods are being a little better to us. That was a good job, we won that because of our bullpen today.”

The Blue Hens put two on the board in the second; retaliating from a three spot the Panthers put up in the top half. Ferdinand and Yates got on base to start the inning, as Ferdinand (below right) singled before Yates reached on the first of Bryan Condotta’s three errors at shortstop. Alex Mottle knocked in the first run on a sacrifice fly, before Mascoe singled into right, scoring Yates to cut it to 3-2.

Athlete photo After Ryan Fleming stretched the lead back to two runs with a solo shot to right in the third, the Blue Hens knotted the game with two runs of their own in the home half of the inning. Steve Ulaky went to the opposite field, placing a ball down the left field line for a double, allowing Long to easily score from second.The game was tied at 4-4 after Yates hit a sacrifice fly to right field.

The game remained tied until the seventh inning when Stoltzfus lead off the inning with a single over the head of Candotta at short. Two outs later, and with Stoltsfus on second, Dameron came up with the biggest hit of the game off starter Charley Olson.

Olson was saddled with the loss, settling down after the third inning pitching seven innings, giving up five runs (four earned) on nine hits. He also struck out six batters while only allowing one walk.

“The greatest thing about winning the first two games is you know you’ve won the series,” continued Sherman. “So now you’re chomping at the bit. We are up two already with a chance to sweep the series, so these guys are stoked.”

The final game of the series will be on Sunday with the first pitched scheduled at 1 p.m. Delaware will look for the sweep by sending Chad Kuhl to the mound. Georgia State will look to salvage their trip to Newark by starting Justin Malone.

AGATE:

Georgia State… 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 – 4 6 4
Delaware…..… 0 2 2 0 0 0 1 0 X – 5 10 4

E – Micowski (2); Condotta 3 (16). DP – Georgia State 1. LOB – Georgia State 10; Delaware 7. 2B – Maxwell (12); Shields (2); Condotta (9); Dameron (8); Ulaky (10). HR – Fleming (7). HBP – Felming. SH – Shields (7); Anderson 2 (5). SF – Yates (2); Mottle (1). SB – Williams (7); Hammond (1).

Win – Corey Crispell (2-2). Loss – Charley Olson (2-3). Save – Steve Richter (5).

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