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Four Home Runs Power Delaware Past UNC Wilmington, 7-1, and into First Place in the CAA

April 8, 2011

File Photos Courtesy of Mark Campbell

WILMINGTON, N.C. -- Starting a key Colonial Athletic Association series, the University of Delaware baseball team used four home runs to take the first of three games and sole possession of the conference with a 7-1 victory over UNC Wilmington on Friday night at Brooks Field.

Delaware (17-13, 9-4 CAA) got all their runs off the four home runs, and Eric Young shutdown the UNC Wilmington (15-13, 6-4) offense for his fourth win of the season. Young pitched into the eighth inning, allowing one run on six hits, but was very efficient, throwing 84 pitches in 7.1 innings, facing 28 batters.

Steve Ulaky (above right), Aaron Mascoe, Nick Ferdinand and Hank Yates provided more than enough runs for Young and Murray, sending balls of the fence in the fourth, fifth, sixth and eighth innings.

Ulaky started the fireworks in the fourth inning, hitting his team leading seventh home run with one on and no outs. Pat Dameron started the inning but reaching base on a single into left field on a 0-2 pitch. With the single, Dameron has extended his streak of reaching base in every game so far this season. Ulaky followed by sending the first pitch he saw over the wall in centerfield for the 2-0 lead.

After Young (below right) got out of the fourth unscathed, Mascoe led off the fifth for the Blue Hens but hitting a 1-1 pitch out of the ballpark in left field for his first home run of the season.

Young retired the side in order in the bottom of the fifth, keeping the Blue Hens in front 3-0. Ulaky started the sixth by reaching on a throwing error by the shortstop and Ferdinand made the Seahawks pay. Ferdinand took a 1-1 pitch from starter Daniel Cropper and deposited over the wall in left for the two-run shot.

Both the Blue Hens and the Seahawks were quiet in the seventh, but Yates padded the lead for the visitors with his third home run of the season in the eighth. With two outs and Ulaky on first with his second hit of the game, Yates homered to left to make it 7-0 with six outs to play.

Young found himself in some trouble in the eighth, allowing a one out single, followed by a doubled down the right field line by Cameron Cockman, made head coach Jim Sherman come and relieve his starter.

Jeff Murray spelled his teammate and got Alex Hill to ground out to first, but allowed the Seahawks to score their lone run, and induced a fly out from Matt Campbell to end the inning. Murray then retired the home team in order in the ninth to end the game and give the Blue Hens a spot on top of the CAA.

Coming into this weekend, Delaware, UNC Wilmington and James Madison were all lodged atop the standings but James Madison and Georgia State were rained out today, moving Delaware ahead of the Dukes by a half a game.

Ulaky, Yates and Dylan Shupe all led the Blue Hens offensively with two hits apiece while Ulaky, Yates and Ferdinand knocked in a pair of runs for Delaware. Andrew Cain finished 2-for-4 to lead the Seahawks.

Cropper was saddled with the loss, throwing 7.2 innings while allowing all seven runs (six earned) on eight hits. He recorded 10 strikeouts, without allowing a walk, on the evening, but was hurt by the four longballs. He picked up his first loss of the season and is now 4-1. Kelly Secrest spelled Cropper in the eighth, and pitched the final inning and third, giving up one hit while striking out two Blue Hens.

The series continues tomorrow as the Blue Hens will look to stay in first place in the standings and will send Danny Gatto to the mound. The Seahawks will respond by giving Blaze Tart his first start of the season looking to even the series. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.

AGATE:

Delaware…………. 0 0 0 2 1 2 0 2 0 – 7 9 0
UNC Wilmington… 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 – 1 6 2

E – Cockman (6); Koenig (8). DP – Delaware 1; UNCW 1. LOB – Delaware 2; UNCW 5. 2B – Campbell (6). HR – Ulaky (7); Ferdinand (3); Yates (3); Mascoe (1). HBP – Long.

Win – Eric Young (4-2). Loss – Daniel Cropper (4-1). Save – None.

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