DOVER, Del. --- The Delaware State baseball team earned its first-ever Northeast Conference (NEC) win by way of a 5-4 walk-off victory over Merrimack College at Bob Reed Field on Saturday.
 
With one out and the game tied at 4 in the bottom of the ninth inning, Trey Paige recorded his second hit of the afternoon after hitting a pitch back to the pitcher allowing him to reach first base safely. Next batter would be Evan Bouldin who placed a single to third base which would also cause an errant throw and allow Paige to advance to third base with Wilfredo Mendez stepping up to take his at bat. Mendez with runners on the corners and only one out, made his at-bat count as he would eventually place a ball deep enough into left field so Paige could tag up from third base and cross home plate to secure the historic walk-off win.
 
Freshman catcher Nick Gnardellis started the scoring in today's contest in the bottom of the third inning with a solo home run for a 1-0 game through three complete innings.
 
The Warriors strung together back-to-back one-run innings through the fourth and fifth frames to take a 2-1 lead through their half of the fifth inning.
 
Paige put the lead back in the Hornets favor in the bottom of the fifth with a 2-RBI home run that scored Jancarlos Colon for a 3-2 Delaware State advantage through five complete innings.
 
Merrimack once again strung back-to-back one-run innings across the sixth and seventh frames for a 4-3 lead after their half of the seventh.
 
A one-run advantage would be the last time the Warriors held a lead in the game as Gnardellis recorded his second solo home run of the afternoon in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game at four and put Delaware State in position to steal the home win.
 
Gnardellis led the offensive efforts with a 3-for-4 day at the plate driving in a pair of runs. Paige also recorded a multi-hit and multi-RBI performance in the win.
 
On the mound, freshman Nathan Vidmar posted a strong showing forcing six ground outs, striking out five and only surrendering two earned runs off of four total hits. Evan Bouldin earned his first win in a Hornet uniform after taking the bump in relief in the top of the ninth and preventing Merrimack from crossing the plate again.
 
Defensively, Jordan King made a couple stellar catches in center field including one in the top of the ninth that would prove to help keep Delaware State in winning position throughout the game.
 
Today's win marks win No. 495 for head coach JP Blandin.
 
The Hornets and Warriors will square off in the rubber match tomorrow afternoon. First pitch from Bob Reed Field is currently scheduled for 12 p.m.