TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University baseball team (10-31, 3-13 CAA) faced Delaware (21-19, 9-7 CAA) in the first game of a three-game series, falling 9-7 to the Blue Hens in a back-and-forth fight at John B. Schuerholz Park.
 
Jeremy Wagner opened the scoring in the bottom of the third with a lead-off home run. The Blue Hens took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth on a single and groundout. Wagner's two-run home run in the home half gave the Tigers a one-run lead again. Ludman picked up his second RBI of the game in the top of the sixth to tie the game at three. The Tigers added two runs on three hits in the bottom half to take a two-run lead. The Blue Hens added two runs in the seventh and three in the eighth to take an 8-5 lead. Elijah Dickerson's RBI double to right center pulled the Tigers within two in the eighth. Stewart's solo home run in the top of the ninth pushed the lead back to three for Delaware. Chris Akers hit a pinch-hit home run in the ninth with two outs before the final out was retired for a 9-7 final.
 
Key Stats:

• Towson reliever Luis Rivera (0-3) took the loss, allowing three earned runs on four hits in 1.0 frame of work.
• Delaware reliever Eli Atiya (4-2) registered the win with two earned runs allowed on three hits in 3.0 innings. Atiya added two strikeouts.

 
How it Happened:

• The game was scoreless until Jeremy Wagner led off the bottom of the third with a home run to right field, his first of the year.
• In the top of the fifth, a fielding error and a single put runners on the corners, setting up Eric Ludman's single through the left side to tie the game. Greenly's RBI groundout two batters later gave the Blue Hens a 2-1 lead.
• The Tigers retook the lead in the bottom of the frame courtesy of Jeremy Wagner's two-run home run to left field for his second of the game.
• With runners on the corners in the top of the sixth, Ludman's single to right field tied the game at three.
• The Tigers added two runs in the bottom half, scoring the first on Bryce Frederick's single to left field and the second on Taye Robinson's double to left field to follow.
• The Blue Hens knotted the game at five in the top of the seventh on a sacrifice fly and single.
• Delaware added three runs in the top of the eighth on four hits to take an 8-5 lead.
• With a runner on second in the home half, Elijah Dickerson's double to right center pulled the Tigers within two runs.
• In the top of the ninth, Aiden Stewart cleared the fence in left to push it to 9-6.
• Chris Akers hit a pinch-hit solo home run in the bottom of the ninth with two outs but the next batter was retired for a 9-7 final at Schuerholz Park.

 
On Deck:
The series continues tomorrow with game two at 1 p.m. at John B. Schuerholz Park.