Dukes Win Series Opener at Delaware, 7-3

Friday, April 1

Newark, Del.

2 p.m.

James Madison University

12-14, 3-1

Delaware

16-10, 0-4

James Madison

Delaware

4/1/2016 6:35:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

NEWARK, Del. - Left-handers Aaron Hoover and Michael Evans combined to yield just seven hits and three runs on Friday afternoon as James Madison took home a 7-3 win in the first game of a three-game Colonial Athletic Association series at Bob Hannah Stadium.

The Dukes improved to 12-14 (3-1 CAA) and are off to their best start in league play since the 2013 campaign, which saw them win each of their first four CAA contests. Delaware fell to 16-10 (0-4 CAA) with the loss.

Sophomore center fielder Mike Sciorra had an efficient night at the plate for JMU, going 2-for-2 with a double and two RBIs, tacking on two sacrifice bunts in his other plate appearances.

Senior third baseman Kyle Weston scored a pair of runs on a 2-for-4 day that included doubles in both the second and seventh innings, while sophomore second baseman Kyle McPherson notched his third multi-hit effort in the last six games with a 2-for-5 performance that saw him score once and drive in another run.

Hoover picked up his third win of the year with five solid innings, surrendering just five hits and two runs, while Evans worked the final four frames, striking out two and yielding just a pair of hits, both in the bottom of the ninth.

JMU went ahead in the second inning, when Weston doubled to right, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and score on Sciorra's squeeze bunt to put the Dukes up 1-0. The sixth inning saw the lead pushed to three when junior catcher Zach Tondi doubled home a run and came home soon after on Sciorra's single up the middle.

The Blue Hens got two runs back in the bottom half of the frame when they followed a leadoff walk with Jordan Glover's full-count, two-run homer over the left field wall. After another full-count walk, Evans came out of the bullpen and immediately got a pickoff, a strikeout and a flyout to work out of trouble.

The Dukes would put the game out of reach in the seventh, when they scored four runs on five hits, highlighted by a leadoff triple from junior left fielder Ky Parrott and the fourth home run of the season for sophomore right fielder Adam Sisk. This one, a two-run blast to left, gave JMU a 7-2 lead and enough breathing room to close out the contest.

Delaware senior Ron Marinaccio, who entered Friday's contest with a 2.88 ERA, was saddled with the loss after the Dukes tagged him for seven runs on nine hits across 6 2/3 innings. The decision dropped him to 5-1 on the season.

Right fielder Kyle Baker and catcher Brian Mayer each tallied two hits for the Blue Hens, with Glover adding UD's only homer.

QUOTING COACH IKENBERRY
"I was proud of how we played on offense tonight against one of the best pitchers in the league. Aaron Hoover and Michael Evans threw a ton of strikes and we played great defense today in some windy conditions. It's always good to start the weekend with a team win!"

UP NEXT
The Dukes and Blue Hens will continue their three-game series on Saturday, April 2, with a 1 p.m. contest, before closing out the set on Sunday afternoon with another 1 p.m. bout. Live stats will be available for both games at BlueHens.com.