Lehigh jumped out to an early six-run lead before adding eight more in the bottom of the sixth as the Mountain Hawks defeated the University of Delaware baseball team, 16-7, in the first round of the Liberty Bell Classic Tuesday afternoon at Legacy Park.

Lehigh (8-14) opened the scoring in the bottom of the first on an RBI single by Patrick Donnelly, before exploding for five runs in the second. The Mountain Hawks recorded just three hits during the frame but benefited from a pair of Blue Hen errors, while a two-run double by Donnelly capped the rally.

Delaware (16-9) got on the board in the top of the third, as after Calvin Scott and Adam Rapp both doubled to lead off the inning, both runners crossed the plate on a pair of groundouts by Kyle Baker and Kevin Mohollen. Nick Tierno and Nick Patten then added RBI singles in the top of the fifth to make it a 6-4 game.

However, Lehigh countered with eight runs in the bottom of the sixth to put the contest out of reach. Jacen Nalesnick led off with a triple and immediately scored on a bunt single by James Bleming, before run-scoring singles by Mike Garzillo and Anthony Rinaldi increased the margin to five. Nalesnik drove home two with a single later in the frame, while RBI singles by Bleming and Garzillo closed the outburst.

Bleming tripled home a run in the eighth before scoring on a single by Garzillo to put Lehigh in front 16-4, while Delaware added three runs in the top of the ninth to close the scoring. Diaz Nardo and Patten each worked a bases loaded walk to force home the first two runs of the frame, before Jeremy Ake singled home Mike Krusinski.

UD starter Zach Flowers allowed six runs, just three earned, on four hits in 1.2 innings of work as he fell to 1-1 on the season. Lehigh starter Brandon Kulp picked up his first win of the year despite giving up four runs in four frames.

Ake, Scott and Rapp each finished 2 for 5 at the plate for the Blue Hens, while five other players added a hit apiece.

Delaware returns home this weekend to host James Madison in a three-game Colonial Athletic Association series at Bob Hannah Stadium, beginning on Friday at 3 p.m.

Towson 8, Delaware State 1: Dean Stramara pitched six solid innings and designated hitter Chris Henze was 4-for-4 with a home run and four runs batted in to lead Towson.

The Tigers won for the fifth time in six games to improve to 8-16 this season, while the Hornets fell to 4-19.

Stramara allowed a run on seven hits, while striking out 12 to improve to 1-1 on the season.  He struck out the side in the fourth and fifth innings and fanned two batters in the third and sixth.

Henze drove in Towson’s first run on a two-out double in the top of the first inning. He smacked a two-run homer in the fifth to give Towson a 5-0 lead and singled in the Tigers’ sixth run on seventh inning single.

The Hornets scored their run with two outs in the fifth.  Evan Regez doubled off Stramara with two outs and the bases empty. Darnel Maisonet followed with a single to left center to score Regez and cut the Tigers’ lead to 5-1.

Jaylen Zielecki had two hits for the Hornets.

Delaware State (0-4) starter Cole Davis was the losing pitcher. Davis threw 4.2 innings, allowing seven hits and five runs, three earned, while striking out one and walking one.

Towson out-hit DSU 10-7. Each team left seven runners on base.

Women’s lacrosse

Long Island 18, Delaware State 4: -Delaware State and Long Island traded scores in the first minute of the game before the Blackbirds posted 11 straight goalss.

Mary McQueen scored five goals, while Carlie Robinson and Jenn Peters tallied four each to lead Long Island, while Lauren Perry scored twice to top the Hornets.

LIU scored first when Peters beat DSU goal keeper Rhian Sellers 24 seconds into the contest. The Hornets answered seconds later when Perry fired a shot past Blackbird goalie Virginia Gibbons to tie the score.

A minute later, Tori Shinkowitz scored to begin an 11-goal run for Long Island. Peters and Robinson scored three goals, while McQueen tallied two during the rally. McKenzie Rolland capped off the run at the 7:27 mark of the first period to give the Blackbirds a 12-1 lead.

Delaware State snapped the LIU spurt when Iman Hassan scored her team-leading 21st goal to cut the Blackbirds’ lead to 12-2 with 5:52 left in the opening period.

Long Island led 14-2 at the half.

McQueen scored two second period goals, while Perry and Kayla Yurkanin found the net for the Hornets in the final 20 minutes.

Women’s track and field

Streeter wins weekly award: The Wesley College Women’s track and field team hosted their first official collegiate meet this past weekend, and as a result of her outstanding performances Elizsha Streeter was named Capital Athletic Conference Track Athlete of the Week.

Streeter began her outdoor season with the top time in the nation in the 200-meter dash at the Wolverine Early Bird Mini-Meet. Streeter raced to a school-record time of 25.14 in the 200, and was also a part of the 4x100 relay squad that turned in a team of 48.29. The 4x100 time currently ranks fourth in Division III.