NEWARK, Del. – The Delaware Blue Hens rallied for three runs in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game and then scored once more in the 10th inning as the Elon University baseball team suffered a 6-5 setback in the series finale of a Colonial Athletic Association set on Sunday, May 6.
For Elon (28-20, 10-8 CAA), Garrett Stonehouse went 2-for-4 with two RBI, while Matt Oldham and Josh Broughton were both 2-for-4 with one RBI.
Owen Lorenz (4-3) suffered the loss after being charged with a run on three hits without recording an out. Elon starter Ryan Conroy gave up two runs on seven hits over 7.0 innings of work.
Kyle Baker recorded three of the 12 Delaware (25-22, 9-9 CAA) hits, while Nick Patten and Tyler Callender both drove in two.
Colman Vila (5-2) picked up the win after 2.0 scoreless innings out of the bullpen.
How It Happened: With Elon leading 5-1 heading to the last of the eighth, Delaware began its comeback. The Blue Hens got a leadoff single from Kevin Mohollen before an infield single put two runners aboard. A one-out walk loaded the bases before a two-out walk forced home Delaware’s second run of the game.
The first two Phoenix hitters of the ninth singled as the maroon and gold looked for some insurance runs. A failed pickoff attempt at second turned into good luck for the Blue Hens as the lead runner was thrown out trying to advance to third after the throw went into center field. A strikeout and foul out ended the Elon threat.
Delaware loaded the bases on three walks in the last of the ninth with Elon leading 5-2. With one out, Patten drew another walk to force home a run to make it a 5-3 game. Callender then lined a single to center to drive home two to knot the score at five before the Phoenix got out of the inning.
After Elon was retired in order in the top of the 10th, Jordan Hutchins led off the bottom half with a double to left-center. A bunt single put runners on the corners for pinch-hitter Austin Niggebrugge who grounded a 1-0 pitch up the middle to drive in the winning run.
Elon grabbed a 2-0 lead in the second as Stonehouse picked up one RBI on an infield single. The throw to first was wild on the single and allowed a second Phoenix run to score.
Patten’s eighth homer of the year got Delaware on the board in the fourth before Elon put up single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to extend its lead to 4-1. In the fifth, Zach Evers scored on an Oldham double, while Stonehouse’s double drove home Joe Satterfield in the sixth.
The Phoenix added one final run in the top of the eighth on a Broughton double.
Notes: With nine strikeouts, the Phoenix pitching staff now has 490 on the year and is just one shy of matching the program record of 491 set a year ago… Elon dropped to 25-2 on the year when leading after seven innings… The Phoenix was just 2-for-11 (.182) with runners in scoring position on the day.
On Deck: Elon returns home to Latham Park to take on the High Point Panthers at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 8.