Dameron's Four Hits, Four-Run Eighth Inning Aide Blue Hens to 10-5 Victory over UMBC
March 1, 2011
File Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell
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• Boxscore
BALTIMORE, Md. - - Pat Dameron’s four hit effort, and a four-run eighth inning helped the University of Delaware baseball team to a 10-5 victory over the University of Maryland Baltimore County at Alumni Field on Tuesday.
In their first game returning to the east coast, the Blue Hens (3-5) pounded out 16 hits and scored multiple runs in three separate innings. Dameron (at right) ended 4-for-6 with two doubles, two RBI’s and two runs scored. Delaware had the leg up on UMBC, already playing seven contests while UMBC played in their season opener.
Nick Stampone got the win for Delaware, pitching an inning and two-thirds, allowing one hit and three runs (zero earned). Freshman Dan Gatto earned the nod on the hill for the Hens, pitching 4.1 innings, allowing two runs on seven hits before turning it over to the bullpen.
The Blue Hens started out quickly against the Retrievers, scoring two runs in the top of the first inning. Sophomore second baseman DJ Long opened the game with a single into right field. Dameron followed with his first double of the afternoon, going with one the other way down the left field line. Steve Ulaky grounded out, enabling Long to score from third and Dameron to move up 90 feet. Now with one out, Chris Branigan chopped a second ground ball to second base, easily scoring Dameron to go ahead 2-0.
UMBC (0-1) quickly responded however, scoring two runs in the home half of the first with three hits, a stolen base and two RBI singles to the outfield in the inning. But Gatto got out of the inning with no further damage, keeping the game at 2-2.
The score remained locked until the top of the fifth when the Blue Hens grabbed the lead once again. Catcher Aaron Mascoe led off the inning with a single before advancing to second when Long reached on an error by the third baseman. With one out, Dameron singled into left, scoring Mascoe from second. But Austin Drewyer retired Ulaky and Branigan to get out of the jam.
The Hens used another lopsided inning to stretch the lead to 6-2, scoring three runs in the top of the sixth. With the Retrievers first reliever in, freshman Jimmy Yezzo doubled to left center with one out to start the rally. Now with two on, Mascoe pulled one down the left field line, scoring Yezzo from second. With two out and runners on second and third, Long turned on one and kept it inside the left field line, scoring both Mascoe and Logan Gallagher.
Again UMBC quickly responded, scoring three runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning to close the gap to 6-5. With Stampone on the hill, Bryan Russo and Bryan Perlmutter each reached base to start off the inning. After a sacrifice bunt moved the runners up a base, consecutive errors from Gallagher and Long allowed each base runner to score. Michael Pesci came all the way around to third on the back-to-back errors, and eventually scored the third run of the inning on a Curtis Schickner sacrifice fly.
After a scoreless seventh inning, it was the Blue Hens who put the nail in the coffin with a four-run eighth inning to cap off the victory. With two outs, and Anderson on second after a one out double, Dameron capped his afternoon off with his second double, chasing Anderson home. Two batters later, Branigan singled in Dameron for the three-run lead. Now with the bases-loaded, Yezzo and Gallagher walked, forcing in back-to-back insurance runs.
Matt Harden came on in relief of Michael O’Keeffe in the either and slammed the door shut, only allowing two hits and a walk over the final two innings, earning the Blue Hens their third win of the season.
Drewyer was charged with the loss, pitching five innings, giving up three runs on seven hits. Schickner and Russo paced UMBC offensively, each finishing with two hits.
Delaware makes its 2011 home debut tomorrow, Wednesday, as they face Saint Joseph’s on Bob Hannah Stadium starting at 2:30 p.m. Starting this year, there is no admission fee to enjoy Blue Hen baseball games.
AGATE:
Delaware....2 0 0 0 1 3 0 4 0 - 10 16 2
UMBC.......2 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 - 5 10 3
E - Long (2); Gallagher (2); Schickner; Ferguson; DiBlasi. DP - UMBC 2. LOB - Delaware 11; UMBC 11. 2B - Long (4); Dameron 2 (4); Yezzo (1); Anderson (1); Klukowicz; Phillips. HBP - Yates; Perlmutter. SH - Phillips. SF - Schickner. SB - McCabe. CS - McCabe.
Win - Stampone (1-0). Loss - Drewyer (0-1). Save - None.
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