By Andy Walter

Delaware State earned its first Northeast Conference win with a 5-4 walk-off victory over Merrimack in baseball at Bob Reed Field on Saturday.

With the game tied 4-4 in the ninth inning, two singles and a throwing error put Ty Paige at third with one out. A sacifice fly from Wilfredo Mendez then brought home Paige with the winning run.

Paige put the Hornets up 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth with a two-run homer. Catcher Nick Gnardellis (3-for-4) hit a pair of solo homers, the second one tying the contest 4-4 in the eighth.

Reliever Evan Bouldin earned his first win in a Hornet uniform after pitching a shutout ninth inning.

Hens take CAA split: Delaware baseball (5-9, 1-1 CAA) earned a split ith defending CAA champion Hofstra (4-9, 1-1), winning the first game 18-7 and falling in the second game 6-3.

Brett Lesher hit his first career grand slam before finishing with six RBI in the opener.

Merrimack 19, Delaware State 6: The Warriors led only 4-2 before scoring six runs in the fifth inning of the series opener on Friday.

The contest was Delaware State’s as a member of the Northeast Conference. The two squads combined fo 29 hits.

The Hornets were paced by Krew Bouldin, who was a 5-for-5, while catcher Robert Trujillo drove in four runs highlighted by his first homerun of the season.

Lacrosse

MEN, Delaware 18, Monmouth 6: The Blue Hens won their CAA opener to improve to 5-2 on Saturday.

The Hens scored five straight goals to open the game before taking an 11-2 advantage into halftime.

Delaware out-shot the Hawks 43-30, including a 25-15 shots-on-goal advantage. UD forced 17 defensive turnovers while committing 10 on the offensive end.

J.P. Ward netted three goals and three assists with Ty Kurtz adding a pair of goals and three assists for the Hens.

WOMEN, Niagara 12, Delaware 11, OT: The Blue Hens (4-3) squandered an 8-0 lead in a game played in Denver.

Lizzie Hsu tied her career-high with five goals, while Riley Gillin scored her first two goals of the season. Gillin scored at the 2:29 and 1:21 marks of the fourth quater to send the game to OT.

College softball

Delaware earns CAA split: Delaware (8-11) opened up CAA play by splitting a doubleheader at Charleston. The Blue Hens posted a 7-5 comeback win, before dropping a 4-2 decision in game two.

In the opener, Delaware used a five-run fifth inning to overcome to rally for the victory. Pitcher Taylor Wroten (Sussex Tech) recorded the final five outs to shut the door.

Basketball

DSU’s Bluntt goes into MEAC ‘Hall’: Former Delaware State men’s basketball standout Jahsha Bluntt was inducted into Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Hall of Fame this week.

A two-time MEAC Player of the Year (2006 and 2007), Bluntt was also the MEAC Tournament’s Most Outstanding Performer in 2005. During his career with the Hornets, Delaware State won its lone MEAC tournament championship while also making two NIT appearances.

Bluntt led Delaware State to MEAC regular-season titles in three straight seasons and he was a two-time first-team All-MEAC honoree. He currently ranks third in conference history in career made three-pointers (303) and 20th all-time in scoring with 1,721 career points, third in Delaware State history.

“By the grace of God, my teammates, coaching staff and supporters, we were able to achieve so much and help put Delaware State on the map,” Bluntt said. “I’m honored to be among this year’s outstanding MEAC Hall of Fame class.”

Equestrian

Three Hornets honored: Three Delaware State equestrian riders have been honored by the ECAC for their performances during the month of February.
DSU’s Victoria Croston has been recognized in the Dual Discipline category as the ECAC Fences Rider of the Month. Croston won each of her points on the road.

Alexis Grogan is the ECAC Horsemanship February Rider of the Month. She won both her matches on the road, vs. South Dakota State by nine points and her Minnesota Crookston opponent by two points.

The ECAC has also recognized Anastacia Brugger as its February Reining Rider of the Month.

Sports editor Andy Walter can be reached at walter@iniusa.org. Follow on Twitter at @DSNSports.