TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University baseball team (10-28, 5-6 CAA) earned an important conference doubleheader sweep of rival Delaware (13-25, 5-6 CAA), using a
Tom Flacco steal of home plate to walk off 2-1 in 10 innings in game one and 13 hits to overpower the Blue Hens 10-8 in game two.
Down 1-0 in game one, a seventh inning RBI single by
Trey Martinez tie the game. In the bottom of the tenth, Flacco raced from third and stole home to give Towson the walk-off victory.
In game two, Towson scored six runs in the second, one in the third and another three in the eighth, holding off a late Delaware comeback attempt to secure the victory.
With the doubleheader sweep today, Towson is 6-2 in its last eight games, including 4-1 in Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) play. The Tigers have won their last two league series.
Key Stats:
- Five Tigers earned hits in both games plus six Towson players had multiple hits on the day.
- Trey Martinez combined to hit 3-for-7 with his second home run of the season, bringing in four runs on the day. Zach Piazza and Dirk Masters each were 3-for-8 with a walk, with the latter adding three RBI and a run, while Noah Cabrera notched his second home run of the year, finishing 2-for-9. Though Tom Flacco was 0-for-3, he walked twice and was a perfect 3-for-3 on stolen bases, including his theft of home to win game one.
- On the pitching mound, Josh Seils had a strong start in game one, despite a no decision, throwing seven innings with one run and four strikeouts. Jake Pecilunas (1-0) finished the first game to pick up the victory, going the final three innings hitless with three Ks. Starter Gavin Weyman (3-5) won game two off seven innings with three runs and seven strikeouts. Kody Reeser got his first save of the year, finishing game two with two-thirds of an inning.
- Delaware's top hitter was Jack Goan, who combined to go 6-for-7 with a home run, a double, a walk, a run and a hit-by-pitch. The losses went to game one reliever Derek Wakeley (2-3), going 2.1 innings with a run, and game two starter Chris Ludman (2-6), who lasted just two innings with six runs.
How it Happened (Game 1):
- Game one began as a pitcher's duel between Josh Seils and Brandon Walter with each team being scoreless in the opening five innings.
- Delaware broke the stalemate in the top of the sixth: Jack Goan grounded a single to right to bring Joseph Carpenter home from second with one out. Seils got out of the rest of the inning with a 1-6-3 double play.
- Towson broke through in the bottom of the seven on the first two pitches of the inning. Richard Miller hammered a ball off the center field wall for a stand-up triple. Next pitch, Trey Martinez lined a single to right to bring in Miller and tie the game at 1-1.
- Delaware and Towson each had runners in scoring position in the ninth, with Isaiah Winikur getting to third after a leadoff hit-by-pitch, but the game stayed tied 1-1 to go into extras.
- In the bottom of the tenth, Tom Flacco walked, stole second and took third on a sacrifice bunt. Delaware intentionally walked the next two batters to load the bases. With Winikur up, Flacco broke for home during the pitch, scoring on the steal to walk-off for Towson. The Tigers won 2-1.
How it Happened (Game 2):
- Into Game two, Delaware got on the board first on a two-run home run to left-center field by Jack Goan in the top of the second.
- Towson responded in a big way, beginning with Noah Cabrera sending the first pitch of the inning over the left-center field wall. Towson continued with getting a pair of hits with one out. Martinez found the left side hole for a single to drive in a run and tie the game. Two batters later, Javon Fields flew a double to right-center for an RBI, then Dirk Masters grounded a single back up the middle to score two. Zach Piazza completed the six-run rally with an RBI double down the left field line, giving Towson a 6-2 advantage.
- Delaware got a run back in the top of the third on a solo home run. Towson repaired the advantage with a Martinez safety squeeze to score Winikur and make it 7-3 Tigers.
- Gavin Weyman retook control and pushed through four-consecutive scoreless innings to keep the lead intact.
- Delaware got a run in the top of the eighth and Towson countered again as Martinez drove a ball over the left field wall. Later, Flacco walked and stole second. Fields drove him in with a lined single to left, taking second on an error. Masters got another RBI on a single to center, making it 10-4 Tigers.
- The Blue Hens had a late comeback attempt, scoring four runs in the top of the ninth. Kody Reeser induced a ground out to short to finish the game in favor of Towson 10-8.
Inside the Numbers:
- Towson came back in both contests, the first times the Tigers have won games this season when scoring second.
- Game two saw Towson earn four walks and striking out just three times.
- In his return to the field, Brad Powers extended his bases reached streak to 13 games. He, as well as Trey Martinez, have five-game hitting streaks.
- Gavin Weyman has won his last three starts, all against CAA competition.
Up Next:
Towson and Delaware wrap up tomorrow at Schuerholz Park at 1 p.m. as the Tigers seek a series sweep.
- TowsonTigers.com –