Ninth Inning Rally Hands Delaware Baseball a 4-3 Defeat to Georgia State in CAA Series Opener
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May 11, 2012
File Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell
ATLANTA, Ga. – The University of Delaware baseball squad fell to the Georgia State Panthers, 4-3, behind a ninth-inning rally in its Colonial Athletic Association’s weekend series opener Friday evening at the Georgia State Baseball Complex.
Delaware (24-23, 14-11 CAA) had its four-game winning streak snapped with the loss while Georgia State (22-28, 12-13 CAA) won its second game of the week.
DJ Long and Alex Maruri (at right) accounted for four of Delaware’s six hits with two base knocks apiece. Nick Ferdinand extended his hitting streak to eight games with an RBI double in the eighth inning while Brock Niggebrugge tallied his team-high 14th sacrifice bunt in the eighth inning too.
The Panthers took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning after Landon Bennett lined a one-out single through the right side. Kody Adams followed with a single through the left side that moved Bennett to third base. A Joey Wood groundout delivered Bennett for the game’s first run.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Jonathan Kolowich drew a one-out walk and sprinted to third after Adams singled to center field. With runners on the corners, GSU executed a double steal that resulted in Kolowich scoring and giving the Panthers a 2-0 advantage.
Delaware’s EJ Stoltzfus cracked a leadoff single in the top of the eighth inning and advanced to second after Niggebrugge dropped a sacrifice. Long hammered a RBI double down the left-field line that knocked in Stoltzfus. A RBI double to right field by Ferdinand plated Long and tied the game. Jimmy Yezzo reached on a throwing error by GSU shortstop Caden Bailey, which resulted in Ferdinand crossing home plate and gave the Blue Hens a 3-2 lead.
The Panthers capitalized in their final at bats in the bottom of the ninth inning when Mark Hogan slapped a leadoff single through the right side. After Bailey drew a walk that bumped Hogan to second base, Drew Shields dropped a sacrifice bunt that put the runners into scoring position. Brandon Williams was intentionally walked that loaded the bases. After pinch hitter Kolowich struck out, Joel Van Asch collected a two-out, game-winning single to left center that delivered Hogan and Bailey for the GSU 4-3 victory.
Jake Dyer (4-5) earned the victory for the Panthers as the reliever tossed 1.1 hitless innings on the mound.
Delaware reliever Stephen Richter (1-1) was charged with two earned runs on two hits, walked three and had two strikeouts in 1.2 innings on the mound in suffering the loss.
Blue Hen starter Eric Young received a no-decision after the right-hander surrendered two earned runs on four hits, but walked five, in 5.2 innings of work.
GSU’s Justin Malone was handed a no-decision after he tossed 7.2 innings on the mound and collected seven strikeouts.
Due to the possibility of rain on Sunday, the Blue Hens and Panthers will play two, nine-inning games Saturday at the Georgia State Baseball Complex.
Delaware's Corey Crispell (5-3, 3.73 ERA) will face Georgia State's Ben Marshall (5-5, 3.33 ERA) in the first game at 1 p.m. while the second game will match Delaware's Chad Kuhl (3-4, 4.77 ERA) vs. Tyler Claburn (4-2, 7.81 ERA).
