Newark, Del. (Mar. 15, 2016) --- Delaware State managed just two hits against three University Delaware pitchers in an 8-3 loss to the Hens at Bob Hannah Stadium today.
UD starter Cole Benjamin (1-0) threw five innings, allowing just one hit and one unearned run while striking out four to earn the win.
Conner Chasanov entered the game in the sixth for the Hens, giving up one hit and two runs, one earned, in two innings.
Delaware's Zach Flowers retired the Hornets in order in the eighth and ninth innings to close out the game.
Austin Bentley had both Delaware State hits, a one-out single in the second inning and a lead-off single in the seventh.
Delaware opened the scoring with a run in the bottom of the first inning off Hornet starter Darrien Ragins. Kevin Mohollen tripled to lead off the inning. Ragins walked the next batter, Nick Tierno, giving the Hens runners at third and first. Tierno broke for second on a strike out to the next batter, Jordan Glover. While Tierno was in a run-down and tagged out at second, Mohollen scored from third to give the Hens a 1-0 lead.
The Hornets (0-16) answered with an unearned run in the top of the second to tie the game. Jaylen Zielecki reached on an error with one out. After Zielecki stole second, Chris Panzarella reached on another UD error. Zielecki scored on the play to tie the game. Following a steal of second by Panzarella, Bentley singled to put runners on third and first for the Hornets, but Benjamin got out of the inning by getting Jake Bartlett to ground into a double play.
Delaware (12-4) scored three runs in the bottom of the third off Ragins to take a 4-1 lead. The big blow in the inning was a one-out, two-run double by Glover.
The Hens tacked on four runs off Hornet reliever Cole Davis in the fifth to open up an 8-1 lead. James Meeker singled in two runs, Nick Patton doubled in one and Doug Trimble had a run-scoring hit in the inning.
The Hornets drew closer with two runs in the sixth. Todd Henry reached on an error and Darnel Maisonet was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Henry and Maisonet moved up a base on a wild pitch. Two batters later, Henry scored on a sac fly by Cameron Onderko. Maisonet crossed the plate on a two-out wild pitch to cut the Hens' lead to five runs.
Ragins was tagged with the loss for DSU (0-2) after giving up three hits and four runs, while striking out three in 2.1 innings.
Hunter McVey threw 2.1 scoreless innings and Terry Godfrey tossed 1.2 shutout innings in relief for the Hornets.
Delaware State returns to action this Saturday (Mar. 19) with a doubleheader at Norfolk State in the MEAC opener for both teams. The first game is set for 12 p.m. in Norfolk, Va.
