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Baseball 5.9.2014

Blue Hens Rally in Ninth to Top Tigers, 14-10

TOWSON, Md. -- The University of Delaware baseball team scored six runs in the ninth inning to pull off a come-from-behind 14-10 win over Towson University in the first game of a three game Colonial Athletic Association series on Friday afternoon at Schuerholz Park.

The Tigers (20-25, 2-13 CAA), who led 4-0 and 10-5, couldn't hold off the Blue Hens, who improve to 22-22 overall and 8-7 in league games.

Senior Kurt Wertz had a big game for the Tigers. The outfielder blasted two home runs and recorded the 200th hit of his career in the ninth inning. Senior Dominic Fratantuono also had a home run for Towson in the loss.

The Tigers started the scoring in the bottom of the second when Wertz hit his team-leading ninth home run of the season. Towson's bats stayed hot after the solo shot as the Tigers totaled five hits in the inning which resulted in four runs.

Senior Pat Fitzgerald drove in the second run with an RBI single that plated Brendan Butler. Brandon Gonnella then drove in two more Tigers after drilling a ball over the centerfielders head that gave Towson a 4-0 lead at the end of two.

Delaware immediately got back into the game in the top of the third. The Blue Hens scored on a pair of sacrifice flies and on an E.J. Stoltzfus double that drove in Doug Trimble.

Still leading 4-3, Towson got one run back after Wertz clubbed his second homer of the game to give the Tigers a two-run lead.

Delaware scored on an RBI groundout in the fourth and a Ryan Hartley homer in the sixth tied the game at 5-5.

The Tigers regained the lead in the bottom of the seventh when Fratantuono belted a two-run homer to right-center. Leading 7-5, Hunter Bennett hit a two RBI double to right-center and Fitzgerald capped the five-run inning for the Tigers with an RBI single. In total, Towson had five runs on four hits and led 10-5 going into the eighth.

The Blue Hens cut into the Tiger lead in the eighth when Jake Clark hit a three-run homer to make it 10-8.

Still trailing 10-8 in the ninth, Delaware mounted a furious comeback. The first three Hens reached to start the inning and after a sacrifice fly and an RBI groundout, the game was tied. After Ryan Hartley reached on an error, the flood gates opened for the Hens.

Nick Liggett singled home the go-ahead run and Ty Warrington followed with a three-run homer to seal a win for the visiting Blue Hens.

Delaware and Towson will meet again tomorrow for the second game of the series, which is scheduled to start at 2 p.m.

-TowsonTigers.com-

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