Delaware Bats Silenced Once Again in 4-0 Shutout Against Crosstown Rival Wilmington
March 5, 2011
Photos Courtesy of Chris Mlynarczyk
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• Boxscore
NEWARK, Del. - - The University of Delaware baseball team had their bats silenced once again as Wilmington University shut out the Blue Hens, 4-0, in the second game of a two game series at Bob Hannah Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Delaware (3-8) was shut out at Bob Hannah Stadium for the first time since May 13, 2008 when they lost to Maryland 4-0. That game, Maryland starter Scott Swinson hurled a no-hitter, allowing only three base runners on the day. It was the first shutout of any kind at Bob Hannah Stadium since April 21, 2010, when the Blue Hens defeated Temple, 13-0.
Head coach Jim Sherman saw another excellent performance from his starting pitching go by the wayside, as Devon Pearson (above right) threw five innings, giving up five hits and two runs (one earned). The lefty had six strikeouts and did not record a walk on the afternoon.
Wilmington (5-1) used six innings by starter Kurt Bruce, two innings from reliever Tim Racek, and a final inning from Ryan Lally to record the shutout. They gave up five hits and only one walk on the afternoon.
Delaware collected five hits on the afternoon, led by Pat Dameron who finished 2-for-4, but commiteed five errors in the field, extending innings for the visiting Wildcats and giving them two extra runs.
Wilmington got on the board in the third for the eventual game-winning run, and enough room for the Wildcat pitching staff. BJ Janney started the inning off with a groundball to EJ Stoltzfus at shortstop. Stoltzfus couldn’t gather the ball at first, and didn’t throw it across the diamond in time to record the out. It looked as though Janney would be picked off at first, but Steve Ulaky airmailed a throw a second, giving Janney new life once again. Janney eventually scored from third on a Joe Harbach single to centerfield.
The Wildcats added a run in the fourth for the 2-0 lead, but a cannon of an arm on Nick Ferdinand in center cut any chance of Wilmington to extend the lead. With a run already across and Adam Solely on second, Bryan Woolford singled to Ferdinand in center. Soley was waved around third, and Ferdinand threw through the cutoff man on a rope to Aaron Mascoe, cutting down the runner before he ever got to the plate for the third out of the inning.
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The Blue Hens seemed to have gotten to Bruce in the sixth but couldn’t find the clutch hit they needed to get back into the ball game. Stoltzfus singled up the middle to lead off the inning. Two batters later, Dameron added his first hit of the afternoon to put two runners on with one out. Steve Ulaky (at right), who tripled with two outs in the first inning, couldn’t find the green for the second out. A walked to Chris Branigan loaded the bases with two outs, but Bruce got Ferdinand to ground out to shortstop to end the threat.
Looking for one last rally in the ninth, Lally came on and shut the down with a one-two-three inning to end the ball game and the two-game sweep for Wilmington.
Freshman Chad Kuhl came on in relief of Pearson in the sixth and recorded three strikeouts in his home debut as a Blue Hen. The newcomer threw 1.2 innings, giving up one run on one hit, while striking out three Wildcat batters.
Jeff Murray pitched the other third of Kuhl’s inning in the seventh before giving way to Matt Harden. Harden threw to seven batters without giving up a hit threw two innings. The lone hitter to reach base came in the eighth off an error by Ferdinand.
The Blue Hens return to action on March 8 when they travel to College Park, Md. to battle Maryland in a non-conference matchup before coming home to open a five-game home stand next weekend. First pitch against Maryland is scheduled for 3 p.m.
AGATE:
Wilmington…… 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 – 4 7 1
Delaware……... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – 0 5 5
E – Rodriguez (1); Ulaky 2 (3); Ferdinand (1); Stoltzfus (1); Murray (1). DP – Wilmington 1. LOB – Wilmington 5, Delaware 6. 2B – Godwin (2). 3B – Ulaky (1). SH – Godwin (1); Botting (1). SB – Woolford (1).
Win – Kurt Bruce (1-0). Loss – Devon Pearson (0-2). Save. – None.
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