Strong Starting Pitching, Early Run Support Leads Delaware Past Saint Joseph’s, 5-3
April 20, 2011
Photos courtesy of Mark Campbell (top) and Dan Lauletta_lg.jpg)
• Boxscore
CAMDEN, N.J. - - Eric Buckland gave up his first hit in the fourth inning leading the University of Delaware baseball team past Saint Joseph’s, 5-3, in a nonconference matchup under the lights at Campbell’s Field on Wednesday evening.
Delaware (20-16 overall) reached the 20-win mark for the 38th consecutive season, and evened the season series against Saint Joseph’s (13-22 overall). Buckland pitched five innings of one hit ball, allowing one unearned run while striking out four Hawks to earn his second win of the season.
“I was working on locating the ball tonight,” the sophomore right hander Buckland said, “My team did a great job behind me tonight. Aaron (Mascoe) did a great job behind the plate. I was trying to keep them off balance, and I did that by hitting my spots.”
After being plunked by a first and advancing to second on a wild pitch, EJ Stoltzfus comes around to score the Blue Hens first run of the evening in the second inning. Right fielder Hank Yates laced a single back up the middle, easily playing Stoltzfus. The Delaware rally all started with two outs, and no body on base.
The Hawks got their first runner on base in the bottom of the second, but was quickly erased as a sharp throw down to second by Aaron Mascoe caught Joe Cook attempting to steal second base. It was the tenth runner Mascoe has gunned down on the season. He would also throw out his second runner of the evening in the third, gunning down Quinn Renner attempting to swipe second as well.
With one out in the third, the Blue Hens got back to back hits from DJ Long and Pat Dameron to put runners on second and third. Steve Ulaky knocked in his 34th run of the season on an infield single to make it 2-0. Ferdinand followed suit with a fielder’s choice, scoring Dameron from third. Ferdinand and Ulaky advanced into scoring position themselves, as the third baseman Cook’s made a nice play in the hole, but couldn’t connect on the play to second. Stoltzfus added the inning’s third run as he grounded out to short for his sixth RBI on the year.
The Blue Hens loaded the bases with their first three batters in the sixth, but only mustered one run on a sacrifice fly from Long to push the lead to 5-0.
The Hawks attempted a comeback in the seventh, plating a run and putting runners on first and second with only one out. But it was lefthander Jeff Murray who induced a line-drive double play to Long at second to sneak out of the inning without any more damage.
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Saint Joseph’s tacked on single runs in the third, seventh and eighth, cutting the lead to as close as 5-3 with an RBI single inside the third base line by Kevin Taylor in the eighth. Murray came back to get the next two batters to keep it at a two run advantage.
Blue Hen closer Steve Richter came on in the ninth and slammed the door shut, earning his seventh save of the season.
Yates led the Hens finishing 2-for-4 on the evening, while Stoltzfus score two runs for the visitors. Taylor and Brett Tiagwad paced the Hawks offense each going 2-for-4 for the night.
“It was a good game today. It was nice to play in the stadium,” Buckland continued. “The team hit the ball tonight; we played well. It was nice to get the win going into the weekend.”
The Blue Hens will look to carry the momentum into this weekend, as they return home for the first time since April 3 on Friday to face Colonial Athletic Association foe, James Madison, for a battle for first place. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
AGATE:
Delaware…...…. 0 1 3 0 0 1 0 0 0 – 5 8 2
Saint Joseph’s… 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 – 3 8 2
E – Long (8); Stoltzfus (3); Cook 2 (10). DP – Delaware 2. LOB – Delaware 7; SJU 8. 2B – Dameron (13). HBP – Stoltzfus; Cook; Cirillo. SF – Long (3); Tiagwad (3). CS – Mascoe (1); Cook (2); Renner (2).
Win – Eric Buckland (2-0). Loss – Jordan Carter (0-1). Save – Steve Richter (7)
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