Delaware 13, Penn 5 Box Score

PHILADELPHIA – Chris McNulty gave Penn an impressive six innings of pitching on Tuesday against a hard-hitting Delaware lineup, but the Blue Hen bats came alive in the seventh to extend what was a 4-3 lead into a 13-3 advantage. Delaware then held on for the 13-5 win.

McNulty, a freshman making his first career start, allowed just one run on four hits through the first five innings. Throwing the most pitches of his young career, McNulty ran into some trouble in the sixth, allowing three runs. Still, he escaped the jam with Penn only trailing by one run thanks to a pickoff of Jared Olson.

The Blue Hen power came to light in the seventh inning as the first five batters reached base, capped by a Ryan Cuneo grand slam home run – his seventh homer of the season. Patrick Brennan then allowed a solo shot to Bill Merkler – his 10th homer of the season. As a team, the Blue Hens have now hit 41 home runs this season. From there, Delaware added three more runs to take the 13-3 lead.

The game started out as well as Penn could have hoped. McNulty retired the Blue Hens in order in the top of the first. Then, the Quakers plated two runs for an early lead. William Gordon drove in the two runs with a single to left center, scoring James Mraz and Dan Williams.

After Delaware got back within one in the second, Penn upped the lead to 3-1 in the fourth when Will Davis scored on a perfectly place bunt single from Steve Gable. The Red and Blue had a chance to add more with the bases loaded and just one out, but Jeremy Maas ground into an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play.

Tom Grandieri added a two-run double in the bottom of the ninth to score Mraz and Matt Tellem, who had reached on a double, his first career hit.

Penn will look to get back in the win column on Saturday in Rhode Island when the Quakers take on Brown in a doubleheader starting at noon.