NEWARK, DE –Ryan Cuneo extended his hitting streak to 24 games and Kyle Davis roped three hits as the University of Delaware baseball team topped Towson, 12-10, during its last Colonial Athletic Association home game of the season at Bob Hannah Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Despite the victory, Delaware (21-30, 10-17) was eliminated from playoff contention after Georgia State posted a three-run ninth inning rally to upset Old Dominion, 5-4, earlier in the day.

Cuneo (at right) extended his hitting streak to 24 games, pulling within four of the Blue Hen record. Not only did he continue his roll, but he did so in an important situation, driving a two-out double to right center in the first inning that chased home Davis to open the scoring.

Towson (26-25, 12-15) immediately answered with a two-run second that gave the team its first and only lead of the game. After Jason Stifler worked a one-out walk, Greg Furmanek notched his 11th home run of the season on a shot over the right field fence.

Delaware responded with its own two-spot in the bottom of the frame to grab a 3-2 lead. Following a one-out home run by Ryan Reed, Davis ripped a double down the left field line that brought in Pat Dameron, who had earlier singled.

After Towson went down quickly in the top half of the third, the Blue Hens came back with three more in their third trip to the plate. Scott Shockley and Cuneo started the rally with back-to-back walks before an infield error brought in Shockley and a double by Reed plated Cuneo. Dameron capped the inning when he laced an RBI ground out to second that pushed the Hens lead to four at 6-2.

The Tigers clawed back into the game during the top of the fifth when the team scratched together a two-run inning. The first three batters all reached base safely as Austin Harclerode and Gary Helmick recorded back-to-back singles before Nick Natoli smacked an RBI double to left. Following an RBI groundout by Kevin Collins and a walk to Brian Conley that put runners on the corners with one out, freshman Michael Londino was summoned from the bullpen.

On one pitch, the relief ace got designated hitter Matt Collins to ground into a 4-6-3 double play to end the Tiger threat.

With their lead down to two, the Blue Hens came back with four more runs in the bottom of the sixth. Dameron led off with a double, moved to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a perfectly-placed squeeze bunt single by Davis. After Shockley singled and Buchholz walked to load the bases, Cuneo notched a sacrifice fly for the second run of the inning. Chris Nehl followed with a two-out, two-run double that put Delaware ahead, 10-4.

Towson was unfazed by its late deficit, posting back-to-back three run innings in the seventh and eighth. Each time the Tigers would pull closer, however, the Blue Hens had an immediate answer during their next trip to the plate.

When Towson pulled within three in the top of the seventh, Delaware answered with one in the bottom half of the frame. Dameron reached on a fielder’s choice, advanced to third on a two-base error, and scored on a wild pitch. Following another three-run Tiger rally in the eighth that saw the tying run cut down at the plate for the final out of the inning, Cuneo slammed his sixth home run of the season on a solo shot to left center.

Back up by two, closer David Slovak worked a 1-2-3 ninth to seal the victory. Londino (3-5) picked up the win for the Hens after allowing just one earned run in 2.2 innings of work. Spencer Patton (3-3) suffered the loss for Towson as the right-hander gave up six runs in his three-inning outing.

Blue Hen starter Brian Rorick had an interesting day on the mound. During the first two innings, he walked the first batter of the game and hit the lead-off man in the second. Despite the early wildness, he proceeded to pick off both men.

On the season, he has now used his deceptive move to pick off six runners. Jason Rogers was the last to reach that number, catching 10 runners wandering during the 2003 season.

Rorick eventually was pulled in the fifth after striking out two while scattering five hits in 4.1 innings.

Delaware will be back in action on Tuesday when the team caps its home slate with a 3 p.m. showdown with the Maryland Terrapins.

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