Dover, Del. (Feb. 18, 2012) --- Delaware State rallied from a three-run deficit before falling on a walk-off hit in the bottom of the ninth inning in the opener of a doubleheader at North Carolina-Greensboro this afternoon.
The Spartans (3-0) completed the doubleheader and series sweep with a 13-1 victory in the nightcap.
In the opener, the Hornets trailed 4-1 before scoring a run in the seventh inning and two in the eighth to tie the game.
Delaware State (0-3) opened the game one scoring with a run in the top of the first inning. Troy Drummond led off the game with a single. He advanced to second on a sacrifice by Peter Broehl and moved to third on a ground out by Cameron Cecil. Ryan Haas followed with a single to center to score Drummond.
UNCG tied the game when Trevor Edwards led off the second inning with a homer to right field. The Spartans scored an unearned run in the third to take a 2-1 lead.
UNCG opened up a 3-1 lead with a run on a Delaware State error in the fourth, and pulled ahead 4-1 on a solo homer by Kris Richards in the fifth.
Delaware State began its comeback with a run in the top of the seventh to pull to within 4-2. Haas walked to lead off the inning. He advanced to second on a sacrifice and scored on a two-out single by Eddie Sorondo.
The Hornets tied the game with two runs in the top of the eighth. The rally began with a one-out walk to Drummond. The next batter two batters, Broehl and Cecil, were hit by pitches to load the bases. Haas followed with a single through the right side, scoring Drummond and Broehl to tie the game at 4-4.
UNCG reliever Dominique Vattuone struck out the next two batters to prevent further damage in the inning by the Hornets.
Haas was 2-for-2 with three runs batted in for DSU.
Delaware State loaded the bases with two out in the top of the ninth but failed to score.
UNCG loaded the bases with one out in its half of ninth when Christian Wolfe's infield single off Hornet reliever Chad Sturgeon brought in the winning run.
Reliever Tommy Dill (0-1) was tagged with the loss for the Hornets, while Vattuone was the winning pitcher for UNCG.
Delaware State starter Matt McClain had a solid outing in his 2012 debut. He allowed five hits and four runs, two earned, in six innings.
In the nightcap, UNCG racked out 19 hits, including four home runs. Zach Leach had two homers and six RBI to lead the Spartans.
Edwards and Andrew Spleth also homered in the nightcap for UNCG.
The Spartans scored two runs in the second, five in the third and four in the fourth to open up an 11-0 lead.
Delaware State avoided a shutout when Sorondo scored on a fielder's choice by Nick Arrue in the top of the ninth.
Aaron Nardone was 3-for-4 with a triple and Broehl had two hits in four at-bats in game two for the Hornets.
Delaware State returns to action with a three-game series at Savannah State next weekend.
