VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

BALTIMORE – The first three batters in the Retriever order combined to go 7-for-13, score six runs, and drive in six more as the UMBC baseball team pounded out 13 hits and drew 12 walks en route to a 17-5 victory over Delaware State, Wednesday evening in non-conference action at Alumni Field.

Lead-off batter Andrew Casali (New Canaan, Conn./New Canaan) collected the first three-hit game of his career, while also drawing two walks, and scoring two runs.  Junior Vince Corbi (Medford, N.J./Shawnee) and freshman Hunter Dolshun (Warwick, N.Y./Warwick Valley), the 2- and 3-spot hitters, also picked up multi-hit games for UMBC (7-18), with Dolshun also driving in three runs.  Junior Jake Barnes (Annandale, Va./Annadale) went 2-for-4 with two singles and two walks to knock in three runs.

Junior Bobby Applegate (Somerdale, N.J./Sterling/Gloucester County College) came out of the pen and worked 2.2 innings to earn the win.  The right-hander (1-2) allowed just one unearned run while striking out five in the outing.

Starter KT Thomas (0-1) took the loss for Delaware State (15-11) after surrendering four unearned runs in the bottom of the second before being lifted with two outs.  The Hornets went on to use seven more pitchers in the three and-a-half hour game.

Mike Alexander paced the Hornet offense with a 4-for-5 day at the plate while three other Delaware State hitters registered multi-hit games.

Delaware State opened the scoring in the top of the first on an RBI-single by Cameron Cecil.  The Hornets went on to load the bases with no outs against UMBC starter Shane Vlasic (Ashburn, Va./Broad Run), but the veteran righty struck out back-to-back hitters, and then induced a ground out to limit the damage.  Vlasic lasted 4.1 innings and gave UMBC a chance to win by holding the visitors to four runs on ten hits.  He struck out four and did not issue a walk.

UMBC left the bases loaded as well in the bottom of the first, but broke through in the second with four unearned runs.  With two down, Corbi hit a grounder to short, but the play could not be made, allowing senior D.J. Smith (Millersville, Md./Old Mill) to score from third.  The Retrievers made the most of the opportunity as Dolshun smacked a single to center to drive in freshman Conor Hax (Bowie, Md./Bishop McNamara), give UMBC the lead, and extend his hit streak to 14 games.  Two batters later, Barnes laced a single to left, chasing around Corbi and Dolshun, and pushing the lead to 4-1.

The Hornets got one back in the top of the third as Ron Farley stroked a two-out single to center to bring in Cecil.

Casali restored the three-run lead in the home half as the freshman lashed a single to left to score Smith who had led off the inning with a double high off of the left-centerfield wall.  Barnes added to the lead in the bottom of the fourth with a single to center, bringing sophomore Kevin Lachance (Clifton, Va./Centreville) around from second.

Delaware State cut the lead to two, 6-4, in the top of the fifth, and then drew within one in the next inning as Alexander pulled a single through the left side to score Cameron Onderko.

The Retrievers answered with three runs in the bottom half as Smith drew a bases-loaded walk, sophomore Jesse Smith (Mechanicsville, Va./Lee-Davis) followed by beating out an infield single, and Hax brought in sophomore Manny Colon (Williamstown, N.J./Buena Regional) on a fielder's choice.

Applegate sent the Hornets down in order in the seventh and the Retrievers erupted for eight runs in the bottom half of the inning.  Casali and Corbi recorded back-to-back RBI singles before Dolshun ripped a 2-RBI double down the left field line.  Lachance capped the inning by driving a sac fly to right, as Corbi came in to score from third.

The Retriever bullpen did the rest from there, keeping Delaware State of the board as the teams split the two-game season series.

UMBC heads to New York for the second straight weekend as the Retrievers take on Albany for a three-game set starting on Saturday.

DAWG BITES

-          UMBC snaps a three-game losing streak to Delaware State and pushes its lead in the all-time series to 16-10.  The Hornets had previously defeated the Retrievers, 16-9, on April 1 in the first meeting between the two clubs since 2002. 

-          The game was the longest nine-inning game of the season for the Retrievers.

-          UMBC drew five walks in the bottom of the sixth inning.

-          The Retrievers last scored 17 runs on March 16, 2012 in a 17-8 win over Coppin State.

-          UMBC pitchers struck out a season-best 12 batters.

-          In addition to his hit streak, Dolshun has reached base safely in 19 straight games.

-          Casali is currently on an 11-game hit streak.