NEW ORLEANS — Delgado capitalized on a nine run first inning to build its offense enroute to Saturday’s 14-8 win over Nunez to take the weekend conference series at Kirsch-Rooney Stadium.
Nunez struck first with an RBI double by Landon Manson in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead. In the bottom frame, Delgado would send fifteen batters to the plate to post nine runs on seven hits, capitalizing on three Nunez errors and leaving the bases loaded. Caskey reached on a leadoff single before a two run homerun by Ethan Lege gave Delgado its 2-1 lead over Nunez.
Two outs followed before a double by Lane LeBlanc started the train of four straight hits, two bases-loaded walks, closing with a two run single by Michael Stutes as Delgado ended the first with a comfortable 9-1 lead.
Nunez answered with three runs in the second inning, two coming off a single by Landon LeBlanc. Cade Pregeant led off the Delgado second with a walk, stole second, and scored on a single by Bryan Broussard to make for an 10-3 game. In the Nunez fourth, the Pelicans sent all nine batters to the plate with a string of five hits and four runs to put the Pelicans within three runs of the lead.
Delgado picked up an insurance run in the sixth when Jacob Singletary reached on a leadoff double, advanced to third on a deep fly ball by Michael Stutes, and scored on a pinch hit groud out by Davis Stephens for the Dolphins’ eleventh run. In the eighth, Singletary reached on a single before scoring on a homerun by Michael Stutes. Davis Stephens followed with a solo homerun to expand the lead to 14-7. Nunez’s Landon LeBlanc singled in a run in the ninth for the game’s final run before Delgado’s 14-8 victory to take the weekend series.
Dwain Guice closed the game’s final 3.1 innings in relief of Will Reed, who pitched the middle three innings behind starter Turner Toms, who picked up the win. Nunez reliever Grant Goodbee quelled the Delgado offense by striking out eight consecutive Delgado hitters between the second and fifth innings.
Delgado (29-11, 8-1) will travel to Baton Rouge next series for its final conference series of the regular season.
{Courtesy: release from Delgado}