The Hornets dropped a 4-3 decision to Lehigh for their 10th loss of the season at Soldier Field on Tuesday afternoon.
The Hornets record fell to 1-10 while Lehigh improved to 8-6 on the season.
In a game where Delaware State’s pitching was the strongest it had been all season, the bats failed to spark against the Mountain Hawks.
Hornet starter Chase Kornemann (0-1) pitched seven innings, giving up seven hits, three runs with four strikeouts. His hardest time came in the first inning, when he gave up two runs.
In the first inning, Joe Ercolano scored from third when Andrew Russell grounded out to second. Then Brendan McGaheran scored on a ground out to second by Logan Marshall. Kornemann calmed down after the first inning, only giving up one more run in the top of the 7th inning when Russell reached on an error allowing for Billy Goldman to score from third base.
The Mountain Hawks scored their final run of the game in the top of the ninth inning when Ercolano hit a home run to right field off relief pitcher Jamie Friel. Friel pitched two innings, only giving up Ercolanos’ solo shot.
The Hornets scored their first run of the game in the third inning off a homerun by Jose Sanchez to left field. They scored again in the 7th inning when Jose Portela singled to right field, scoring Troy Drummond from third. Friel scored the final run of the game in the bottom of the ninth inning with a home run to right field.
The winning pitcher for the Mountain Hawks was starter Rob Russell (2-0). Russell went 6.1 innings, while surrendering 7 hits, 2 runs and striking out 4. Andrew Berger pitched 2.2 innings of relief, giving up 2 hits and 1 run.
Leading offensively for the Hornets was Jamie Friel going 2-for-3, including a home run. Sanchez went 2-for-2 with a home run. Portela was 1-for-3 with one RBI.
Ercolano led the Mountain Hawks offense going 2-for-5 with 2 runs and 1 RBI. Brendan McGaheran was 2-for-4 with 1 run scored.
The Hornets return to action tomorrow, March 12 against Temple University starting at 2:30p.m.