UNCW Shuts Out Delaware, 3-0, To Advance In Winner's Bracket
Rob Washburn
Box Score
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. (May 25, 2023) – Three UNCW pitchers combined on a seven-hit shutout as the top-seeded Seahawks beat #5 Delaware, 3-0, to advance in the winner’s bracket at the CAA Baseball Championship on Thursday afternoon at the Ballpark at Patriots Point.
UNCW (32-21) will face the winner of tonight’s final game between #2 Elon and #3 Northeastern at 4 p.m. on Friday, while Delaware (30-28) will meet Charleston in an elimination game at 9 a.m. on Friday morning. Both game times for Friday have been moved up due to threat of inclement weather.
Junior right-hander Jacob Shafer (7-4) earned the win for UNCW after allowing four singles over five-plus innings. Lefty Luke Craig followed with 3.0 shutout frames before Brett Banks recorded his seventh save after a scoreless ninth.
Delaware right-hander Nate Rolka (2-5) gave up three runs on four hits over 5.2 innings and suffered the loss before the Blue Hens got 2.1 shutout innings from Tyler Strechay.
Shafer and Rolka were locked in a pitchers’ duel before UNCW snapped a scoreless tie in the fifth. Taber Mongero drew a one-out walk and advanced to third on Brock Wills’ base hit to right. Dillon Lifrieri followed with a sacrifice fly to right, plating Mongero for a 1-0 Seahawks’ lead.
UNCW tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the sixth. The Seahawks put two runners on with one out after Alec DeMartino walked and John Newton was hit by a pitch. Trevor Marsh then delivered a RBI double to the base of the wall in left, bringing home DeMartino. A Bryant Arendt sacrifice fly gave the Seahawks a 3-0 advantage.
Delaware was unable to cash in on a pair of scoring chances. The Blue Hens loaded the bases with two outs in the third, but ended the frame on a flyout to left. In the sixth, Dan Covino and Joey Loynd opened the inning with back-to-back singles, chasing Shafer. However, Craig was able to induce a double play to end the threat.
Both teams had only one player with multiple hits as Wills went 2-for-4 for the Seahawks and Loynd was 2-for-3 for the Blue Hens.