DOVER, Del. --- The Delaware State baseball team dropped a 9-3 nonconference matchup to University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) on Sunday afternoon.
 
Hornet freshman catcher Nick Gnardellis recorded the first home run of his collegiate campaign in the bottom of the fifth to assist Delaware State in avoiding the shutout.
 
Sophomore Alec Rodriguez belted his team-leading third round-tripper in the bottom of the seventh while Krew Bouldin drove in the third and final run in the bottom of the eighth with an RBI single that scored Brendan Timmons.
 
Bouldin and Rodriguez both notched a pair of hits. Rodriguez and Trey Paige both earned two free bases in the loss.
 
Delaware State will begin new league action this weekend with a three-game series versus Merrimack. First pitch for the first time in Northeast Conference (NEC) action is currently scheduled for 2 p.m. on Friday at Bob Reed Field.