BOX SCORE

DOVER, Del. - The Hartford baseball team is still in search of its first victory of the season after it jumped out to an early 2-0 lead on Friday afternoon against Delaware State, but ultimately fell 3-2. Junior Mike Thatcher struck out three and scattered eight hits over 5.1 innings for one of the best pitching performances of the year by Hartford, but was the hard-luck loser as the Hawks fell to 0-10-1.

The Hawks took advantage of two miscues by the Hornets defense in the second inning to plate two unearned runs. Freshman James Alfonso led things off by lining a sharp single to left-center field. When fellow frosh Ryan Lukach tried to move him over with a sacrifice bunt, Delaware State couldn't handle the play and both runners were safe. Junior Simon Kudernatsch then beat out an infield single to the left side, loading the bases.

It appeared that Hornets' starter Jordan Elliott might be able to escape with minimal damage when he induced a 6-4-3 double play ball that plated Alfonso but got two outs in the inning. However, Chris Suchy reached on the second error of the inning by third baseman DJ Miller, plating Lukach. Suchy was caught stealing to end the inning.

Delaware State got a run back in the third inning when Keith Hernandez singled home Joey Babuca. Much like the Hawks' second inning, it appeared that the Hornets had a big rally brewing, as Hernandez' single kept the bases loaded with no one out. Thatcher got the next hitter to pop out, though, and then got the Hornets' three-hole hitter, Ryan Haas, to ground into an inning-ending double play.

Thatcher cruised through the fourth and fifth, allowing just one base runner, who reached on an error. In the sixth, however, he began to tire and allowed back-to-back home runs to Scott Davis and Haas to open the inning, giving Delaware State the lead. After getting the first out of the inning, Thatcher was replaced by sophomore Brian Rice, who slammed the door, allowing just one hit in his 2.2 innings of work.

While Delaware State was kept at bay in the later innings, Hartford had several chances to tie the score. In the seventh, Kudernatsch laced a two-out single to left-center field, then advanced to third when freshman Alex Gouin was safe on another Hornets error. Suchy grounded out to first to end the inning, however.

Hartford had hits in each of the last five innings, but other than Kudernatsch in the seventh, no Hawk could safely move past first base.

The Hawks and Hornets are back in action over the weekend, with the two teams playing single games on Saturday and Sunday. First pitch both days is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.