Mottle's Blast Not Enough as the Blue Hens Can’t Complete Comeback, Fall To Hofstra, 4-2, in Series Opener
March 18, 2011
File Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell
_lg.jpg)
• Boxscore
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. - - The University of Delaware baseball saw their five game winning streak come to end on Friday, as they couldn’t solve Hofstra starter David D’Errico en route to a 4-2 loss at University Field in the first game of the three-game Colonial Athletic Association.
Freshman right fielder Alex Mottle started the comeback bid with a two-run homerun in the top of the eighth, but Delaware (8-10, 3-1 CAA) only collected five hits, dropping their first CAA game of the season.
Hofstra (2-11, 2-2 CAA) got 7.2 innings from D’Errico as he moved to 2-2 on the season with both wins coming in series opening game of CAA play. D’Errico also got the teams first win over James Madison in their conference opener. D’Errico allowed two runs on five hits, while striking out three without giving up a walk. Not overpowering, D’Errico used only 82 pitches to get through 23 outs.
Blue Hen starter Eric Young lasted four innings, giving up three runs on six hits. He struck out four batters before turning it over to Corey Crispell (above right) and the bullpen. Cripell held the Pride in check over the next 3.1 innings, only allowing a run, keeping the Blue Hens in the game.
Hofstra got on the board in the second with a single run and never lost the lead from there. Joe Perez doubled to center field, putting runners on second and third with one out. Matt Reistetter took a 2-2 Young offering to left field, deep enough to score Kenny Jackson on the sacrifice fly.
The Pride added a pair in the fifth, also knocking Young from the game. Perez did the big damage once again, leading off with a solo homerun to right field for the 2-0 lead. Back-to-back hits from Reistetter and Bobby Gazzola brought Crispell in, and runners on second and third with no outs. Two batters later, Matt Ford singled to right, scoring Reistetter from third. Then Crispell got out of the inning, inducing Dylan Nasiatka into a 4-6-3 inning ending double play.
After allowing another run in the seventh, Mottle got the Blue Hens on the board his first collegiate homerun, cutting the lead in half. Hank Yates led off the inning with a single, but was forced out at second as Nick Ferdinand grounded into a fielder’s choice. In stepped Mottle, and he took the first pitch he saw and deposited it over the fence in right center. But the Blue Hens could not carry the momentum any further, that D’Errico, Joe Burg and Jeff Guthridge closed the door on the comeback attempt.
Young falls to 1-2 on the season with the loss, as D’Errico evened his mark in the early part of the year. Guthridge came on in the ninth to record the final two outs, earning his first save of the season.
Game two of the series continues tomorrow, Saturday, at University Field. Devon Pearson will toe the rubber for the Blue Hens as Rob Kumbatovic gets the nod for Hofstra. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.
AGATE:
Delaware….. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 – 2 5 1
Hofstra….… 0 1 0 0 2 0 1 0 X – 4 11 0
E – Ulaky (5). DP – Delaware 2; Hofstra 1. LOB – Delaware 3; Hofstra 6. 2B – Perez 2 (6); Gazzola (3). HR – Mottle (1); Pereze (2). SF – Reistetter (1). CS – Nasiatka (2).
Win – David D’Errico (2-2). Loss – Eric Young (1-2). Save – Jeff Guthridge (1).
Back To Baseball Home Baseball Story Archive
