DOVER, DE – Trailing by three early, the University of Delaware baseball team came alive in the middle innings and used a grand slam by Jared Olson to take a commanding lead and eventually cruise to a 13-4 victory over Delaware State at Soldier Field on Tuesday afternoon.

Six Blue Hens posted multi-hit efforts, including Scott Shockley, Alex Buchholz, Ryan Cuneo, and Chris Nehl who all finished with three hits apiece. Olson (at right) added a 2-for-5 performance, while senior tri-captain Adam Tsakonas rounded out the potent Blue Hen offense, finishing with two hits and a pair of runs scored for Delaware (14-24).

The victory avenged the Hens’ 10-6 setback to Delaware State (14-23) at Bob Hannah Stadium earlier this month.

After the Hornets posted three unearned runs in the third inning to take an early lead, Delaware immediately answered with three of its own in the fourth. During the rally, Buchholz ripped a lead-off double and came around on a single by Shockley. Following a single by Ryan Reed, the two Blue Hen runners moved into scoring position on a wild pitch before Nehl chased them home with a two-run single to right center.

With the score knotted at three, Delaware took control of the game in the fifth. After Tsakonas and Buchholz were both hit by pitches, Cuneo ripped a two-out single to right that brought home the first run. Following a walk to Reed that loaded the bases, Olson crushed a grand slam to right that put the Hens up by five at 8-3.

Although Jarrett Bibb responded with a solo shot to lead off the next inning which cut Delaware State’s deficit to four, the Blue Hens came back with another five-run inning in the seventh to grab a commanding lead. After capping off the Hens’ earlier rally, Olson returned to start Delaware’s next one with a double down the right field line.

With Olson on second, Nehl brought him in with a single to right center. Tsakonas, Buchholz, and Shockley followed with RBI singles of their own before Cuneo slammed a double to left center that brought in the last run of the inning.

Up by nine, the Blue Hen bullpen took over to shut down the Hornet offense over the last three innings of play. Brian Rorick completed his four-inning relief appearance in the seventh with a 1-2-3 inning. Over his outing, he struck out five and surrendered just three hits and one run.

Mike McGuire and David Slovak came in to seal the victory, holding Delaware State scoreless over the last two innings of play. Rorick (2-4) picked up the win with his effort, while Chase Kornemann (1-4) suffered the loss after giving up four runs in just one-third of an inning.

Delaware will return to the diamond on Friday when the Hens take on George Mason at Bob Hannah Stadium. The first pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.

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