Delaware Baseball Falls Short in 11-4 Loss to VCU in CAA Action
April 14, 2012
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• File Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell
NEWARK, Del. – The University of Delaware baseball team could not capitalize in key situations and left 11 men on the bases in their 11-4 loss to VCU Saturday afternoon in Colonial Athletic Association action at Bob Hannah Stadium.
Delaware (18-18, 10-7 CAA) returned to a .500 record despite outhitting VCU 13-12 in the loss. In each of the four innings that the Rams scored, the lead-off hitter crossed home plate.
The third and final game of the series will get underway Sunday at 1 p.m. at Bob Hannah Stadium.
Blue Hens freshman center fielder Cameron Travalini (at right) led the UD offense with his third three-hit game of the season and extended his hitting streak to a season-high seven games. First baseman Jimmy Yezzo smashed his fourth home run of the season, a three-run shot in the bottom of the ninth inning, for his third hit on the day. In the four games played this week, Yezzo is batting .563 (9-for-16) with two home runs and 12 RBI. Designated hitter Alex Maruri also collected three hits in the loss.
Rams starter Ryan Farrar (4-2) kept the Blue Hens in check for eight innings on the mound as the left-hander yielded only one earned run on nine hits and struck out four for the victory. The win moved VCU to 18-16 (7-10 CAA on the season.
Corey Crispell (4-2) suffered the defeat for Delaware after he surrendered eight runs (six earned) on nine hits, walked three and struck out five in 6.2 innings on the mound.
Scoreless entering the top of the fourth inning, VCU’s Jordan Weymouth reached on a fielding error by UD Yezzo to start the inning. Mikionis hit a double to left field and ChrIs Ayers followed with an RBI ground out to plate Weymouth to open the scoring. A two-out bunt RBI single up the third-base line by Taylor Buran gave the Rams a 2-0 lead.
VCU added to its advantage in the top of the fifth inning after Paul Nice started the inning by reaching first on a hit by a pitch and sprinted to third base when Bill Cullen doubled to right field. After Joey Cujas was intentionally walked to load the bases, Ayers drew a walk that forced home Nice. Buran then smashed a two-run double to give VCU a 5-0 edge.
Nick Kime doubled to center field to leadoff the seventh inning for the Rams. Mikionis was intentionally walked for Buran, who slugged a RBI double to right that plated Kime and moved Mikionis to third base. Vimael Machin connected with a two-run single to right field that cleared the bases and gave VCU an 8-0 lead.
Yezzo lined a lead-off double in the bottom of the eighth inning and Tyler Powell followed with a one-out walk. Travalini’s RBI single to left field plated Yezzo for Delaware’s first run of the game,
In the top of the ninth inning, Mikionis reached on a infield single and advanced to second on Ayers’ single to right field. Buran hit a run-scoring double to left field that scored Mikionis while Ayers dashed to third base. After Machin drew a walk that loaded the bases, Nice was hit by a pitch that forced home Mikionis. A two-out, bases-loaded walk by Kime gave VCU an 11-1 advantage.
Despite trailing 11-1 in the final inning, the Blue Hens refused to give in. Pinch-hitter Chris Branigan singled to right field and moved to second on Brock Niggebrugge’s single through the right side. Yezzo capitalized with his fourth home run of the year, a three-run shot over the right-center field wall for the game’s final runs.
Right-hander Chad Kuhl (1-4, 5.06 ERA) will start Sunday's game for Delaware while VCU will send left-hander Heath Dwyer (3-2, 3.51 ERA) to the mound.
