Dover, Del. (Mar. 12. 2016) --- Delaware State's bid for its first win of the season came up short in a 4-3 loss to Marist in the second game of a doubleheader at Soldier Field today. The Hornets fell in the opener 15-0.
In the nightcap, Marist broke a 3-3 tie with a run in the top of the fifth inning. The Hornets put two men on base in two of their last three at bats, but failed to score.
DSU opened the game two scoring with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Todd Henry led off the inning with a single up the middle and advanced to second when Darnel Maisonet followed with a bunt single. After Cameron Onderko advanced the runners on a sacrifice bunt, Henry scored the game's first run when Chris Panzarella followed with a groundout to second. Maisonet moved to third on the play, but was stranded there when the inning ended.
Marist scored single runs in the second, third and fourth innings off DSU starter Jaylen Zielecki to take a 3-1 lead.
The Hornets tied the game on a two-out, two-run triple by Rich Rountree in the fourth inning. Onderko, who singled to lead off the inning, and Jake Bartlett, who hit by a pitch, scored on the Rountree three-bagger.
The Red Foxes regained the lead 4-3 on a two-out single by Tyler Kirkpatrick off Hornet reliever Cole Davis in the top of the fifth.
Henry had two of the Hornets' four hits in the nightcap.
Marist starter Tony Romanelli (1-0) was the winning pitcher. He allowed four hits and all three DSU runs in four innings.
Davis (0-3) was tagged with the loss for the Hornets.
In the opener, starting pitcher Charlie Jerla threw eight innings of one-hit, 10-strikeout ball, while Graham McIntire and Greg Kocinski drove in three runs each to lead the Red Foxes' 17-hit attack.
Marist opened the scoring with four runs on just two hits in the top of the fourth inning. The Foxes also took advantage of two DSU errors in the fourth.
The visitors led 5-0 before tacking on five more runs in the sixth. McIntire smacked a two-run homer and Kocinski singled in a run in the inning.
Kocinski had a two-run single to highlight the Red Foxes' five-run eighth.
Sam Barber had Delaware State's only hit in the opener on a fifth inning single.
DSU starter Lane DeLeon (0-2) was the losing pitcher in game one. DeLeon allowed seven hits and seven runs-three earned- while striking out five and walking three in five innings.
The doubleheader loss drops the Hornets at 0-15, while Marist improved to 5-7 this season after its three-game weekend sweep.
The Hornets return to action on Tuesday (Mar. 15) at home against Delaware. Game time is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Soldier Field.
