Delta Sweeps In Season Opener

Barbourville, KY - The Delta men's baseball team started the 2017 season with a sweep of Union College on Thursday.  The Pioneers held on to win an 11-10 contest in game one before also winning the exciting nightcap, 2-1.

The first game saw Delta jump on top 1-0 in the first inning as Zack Booth scored on an RBI groundout by Dean Marais.  After Union scored two in the bottom of the inning, Delta was able to answer with another run in the top of the second to tie the game.  Union once again went up, 3-2 in the bottom of the inning.

In the third, the visiting Pionners tied the game at three all when Joey Greko scored from second on faield double play attempt.  That's where the score remained until the fifth when DC exploded for five runs with the main blow coming off the pinch hit at-bat of sophomore Luke Schrage as his two out double cleared the bases and pushed the Delta lead to 8-3.  

Union responded with two runs in the sixth to cut the lead to 8-5.  Delta put up a three spot in the top of the seventh to up their lead to 11-5 before things got spotty in the bottom of the seventh. 

An leadoff error was followed by a walk and a double to make the score 11-7 before Delta was able to record the first out of the inning.  Another walk put runners at first and third for the Bulldogs, which was quickly followed up with the second out of the inning on a pop up to first.  But the hosts continued to battle, scoring a run on another Delta error to make it 11-8.  

A single to right scored another Union run and another Delta error - their third of the inning - put runners on second and third with the score sitting at 11-10.  Pioneer closer Ty Robbins relieved freshman Guy Henika on the mound and proceeded to walk the first hitter he faced to load the bases before getting a strikeout to pick up his first save of the season.

Offensively, Delta was led by sophomore Zack Booth who went 3-for-5 with two runs an RBI and a stolen base.  Z Westley and Dean Marias also had two hits to lead the visitors.  Guy Henika collected the win on the mound in relief of starting pitcher Chase Beyersdorf.  Henika went 2 2/3 innings, allowing three earned runs on four hits while striking out three.

Game two saw Justin Jurek toe the rubber for the Pioneers for his first collegiate start and he didn't dissapoint.  The sophomore from Gladstone, Michigan threw six innings of shutout baseball giving up just three hits while striking out four.  Delta once again got on the board first in the fourth inning as Grant Slomkowski led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch before stealing second base.  He would then score on a single off the bat of Dean Marais to make it 1-0.

The Pionners would up their lead to 2-0 in the seventh when Tyler Snover scored on a Booth suicide squeeze.  Once again, though, Union would battle before for the lead as a leadoff error in the seventh and a walk put the game tying run at first base.  Another walk loaded the bases prompting a call to the bullpen bringing in freshman Trace Painter to make his college debut under dubious circumstances.

Painter was able to get a fly ball to right field for out number one which cut the Delta lead in half and put runners at the corners.  A stolen base put runners at second and third before a ground ball back to Painter on the mound ended in a rundown and the second out of the inning.  With the game tying run at third base and two outs, Painter was able to get a called strike three to pick up the save and preserve the win for DC, 2-1.

Jurek got the win on the mound for Delta while Booth once again led the offense by going two-for-three with an RBI and a stolen base.  

The Pioneers continue their spring trip with a double-header on Sunday against Mesabi Range Community College.  First pitch at the Chain of Lakes Park in Winter Haven is scheduled for 12:30pm.