DOVER, Del. - Junior shortstop Nick Natoli had a career high five base hits and scored four runs as the Tigers (15-28) rallied for 11 runs in the final three innings and came from behind to hand Delaware State (12-23) a 20-10 loss in a non-conference game at windy Soldier Field on Wednesday afternoon.
The Tigers, who trailed by 6-1 after two innings, broke the game open with six runs in the seventh inning and added five more runs in the eighth inning. Led by Natoli, the Tigers banged out 19 base hits as they scored a seasonal high 20 runs on their way to their third consecutive victory.
The Hornets took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when senior Mike Rizzuto lined an RBI double to left centerfield. Towson came right back to tie the score in the second inning. Senior first baseman Steve Yarsinsky led off the inning with an infield single. Junior second baseman Chris Wychock reached base on a walk. With one out, junior third baseman Austin Harclerode extended his hitting streak to 15 straight games with an RBI single to center field, scoring Yarsinsky. The Tigers' chance to take a lead was ended when freshman leftfielder Kurt Wertz grounded into a double play.
Delaware State took advantage of two Tiger errors to score five runs in the second inning and build a 6-1 lead. Senior shortstop Keith Hernandez highlighted the rally with a two-run single before the Hornets added three unearned runs off freshman righthander Mike Volpe. Throwing errors by Harclerode and Natoli allowed three runs to score.
The Tigers trimmed their deficit to 6-4 in the third inning. Sophomore centerfielder Ben Winter led off the inning with a single. Moments later, he came around to score when Natoli blasted his first home run of the season over the left center field fence, a two-run homer that cut the lead to 6-3. Senior rightfielder Kevin Collins created a run on his own. After drawing a walk, he advanced to third base on back-to-back wild pitches. He scored the third run of the inning when Yarsinsky grounded out to shortstop.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Hornets extended their lead to 7-4. Sophomore second baseman Scott Davis created the run when he doubled to left field and advanced to third base on a wild pitch by Volpe. Hernandez drove him in when he grounded out to second base.
The Tigers came back and tied the score in the top of the fifth inning. Collins opened the inning by reaching base when he was hit by a pitch. He scored when Yarsinsky doubled to right center field. Yarsinsky moved to third base when junior designated hitter Steve Rice grounded out to second base. Yarsinsky scored on a wild pitch to trim the Hornets' lead to 7-6. Towson tied the game at 7-7 when Harclerode cracked his third home run of the season over the right center field fence. It was his first home run since he hit a grand slam at Tulane on March 14.
The score did not remain tied for very long. Sophomore catcher Tony Gatto led off the bottom of the fifth inning with a home run to center field off sophomore righthander Sean Bertrand. It was his fourth homer of the season and it gave the Hornets an 8-7 lead.
In the top of the sixth inning, the Tigers took their first lead of the game by scoring a pair of runs. With one out, Natoli started the rally with a single to left field. After advancing to second base on a wild pitch, Natoli stole third base. When Collins singled to right field, Natoli scored to tie the game at 8-8. Collins moved up to second base on a balk. He scored an unearned run when pitcher Joe Rush committed an error trying to pick him off second base. The Tigers tried to build upon their 9-8 lead when they loaded the bases on a hit batter and back-to-back walks to Wychock and Harclerode. But Wertz was retired on a fly ball to left, ending the threat.
Trailing for the first time in the game, the Hornets wasted no time regaining the lead. Facing junior righthander Charlie Cononie, Davis led off the inning when he was hit by a pitch. Davis moved up to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Hernandez. Senior first baseman Abe Eubank then blasted a 1-1 pitch over the center field fence for a two-run homer that gave Delaware State a 10-9 lead. It was the eighth homer of the season for Eubank.
In the seventh inning, the Tigers erupted for six runs on five hits to take a 15-10 lead. With one out, Winter drew a walk. Natoli followed with a bunt single before Collins reached base on an infield error, loading the bases. Yarsinsky's single to right field enabled Winter to score, tying the game at 10-10. Third baseman Brandon Crist made a throwing error on a ground ball by Wychock as Natoli and Collins scored to give Towson a 12-10 advantage. A single to center field by Rice enabled Yarsinsky to score, giving the Tigers a 13-10 lead. Harclerode reached base on an infield single but Rice was called out for interference, the second out of the inning. Wertz capped off the six-run rally when he doubled to center field, driving in Wychock and Harclerode to give Towson a 15-10 lead. Sophomore catcher Brian Wyman grounded out to shortstop, ending the inning.
Senior lefthander Wes Shifflett came out of the bullpen to pitch a scoreless seventh inning as he struck out the side.
In the eighth inning, the Tigers tacked on some insurance runs. Winter and Natoli opened the inning with back-to-back singles. Collins drove in a pair of runs when he doubled to left center field, increasing the lead to 17-10. Yarsinsky followed with a single to rightfield while Collins moved up to third base. Collins scored and Yarsinsky went to second base when Gatto, now playing rightfield, committed a throwing error. That gave Towson an 18-10 lead. After Yarsinsky advanced to third base on another wild pitch, Wychock drew a walk. Rice upped the lead to 19-10 when he lined an RBI single to center field. Wychock and Rice moved up a base when a balk was called on Gatto, the Hornets' eighth pitcher of the game. Harclerode grounded into a fielder's choice as Rice was retired at third base while Wychock scored. With the Tigers leading by 20-10, Wertz hit into an inning-ending double play.
Junior righthander Tyler Bugna came on to pitch a scoreless eighth inning before senior righthander Nate Curd nailed down the win with a scoreless ninth inning.
Shifflett earned the win in relief, his first victory of the season.
While Natoli led the Tigers with five hits, Yarsinsky went 4-for-5 with four runs scored and three runs batted in. Harclerode was 3-for-5 with two runs scored and three RBI's. Collins tied a Towson single game record as he scored five runs. He was two-for-four with three RBI's. Winter also had a pair of hits and scored three runs while Rice had two hits and two RBI's.
The Tigers were the beneficiaries of six wild pitches, three hit batters and two balks by the nine pitchers that Delaware State used in the game. The Tigers outhit the Hornets by a 19-13 margin in an error-filled game. Delaware State made five errors in the loss while Towson committed four errors.
For the Tigers, the win at Delaware State was their ninth straight road game. Towson won five of the nine road games and will return home with four wins in their last five games.
The Tigers return to action this weekend when they host Hofstra University in a three-game Colonial Athletic Association series at John B. Schuerholz Park. Towson and Hofstra will play the series opener on Friday afternoon at 3:00 p.m.
