By Alex Hyman, Staff Writer

After a poor team pitching performance a week ago, the Pride bounced back this past weekend getting a much needed sweep of Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) opponent Delaware University.
Junior Joe Burg got the ball on Friday and solidified himself as the Pride’s opening starter.
“He had the biggest start,” head coach John Russo said. “He came out with a lot of confidence, a lot of moxie and just gave us a big presence on the mound which we’ve been missing for a few weeks.”
Burg tossed five shutout innings en route to his fourth victory of the season. Brett Schreiber also shined out of the bullpen finishing the game and picking up his second save of the year.
The offense was dominant once again. CAA player of the week senior Kevin Flynn led the way with three hits and one RBI. Juniors Jarred Hammer, Matt Ford, T.J. Thomas and Bryan Verbitsky combined for 14 RBI’s in the contest, with Hammer and Verbitsky each with a home run. For Verbitsky, it was his fourth home run in the past six games. The Pride went on to score 16 runs to win the game 16-1.
Hammer delivered once again in the first inning of Saturday’s game with a two-run double. He then went on to score on a Verbitsky single, which gave the Pride a 3-0 lead. That was all the offense junior John Tiedemann would need.
“He was well rested and back to normal,” Russo said. “Only one runner reached second base and he was just real dominant.”
Tiedemann was in total control through the first eight innings, giving up just three hits in his fifth win of the year. Verbitsky was able to get out of a ninth inning jam to keep the shutout intact and close out a 4-0 win.
Flynn and Hammer led the team with two hits each.
The Pride had its toughest challenge in the series finale on Sunday. Freshman David Jesch struggled for the second straight start. After just three innings in his last start, Jesch was unable to record an out in the second inning and finished with just one official inning pitched, giving up eight earned runs.
The Pride was able to score eight runs through the first four innings including an RBI single that plated two from catcher Matt Reistetter that tied the game at eight.
Trailing by one entering the top of the eighth inning, Senior and Golden Spikes Award nominee Danny Poma got things going with his nation-best 27th double of the season. After a strikeout, intentional walk, and fly out, it was up to Flynn once again to come up in the clutch. Flynn delivered with a two-run double to put the Pride ahead 10-9.
Verbitsky came on once again to pick up a two-inning save, his fourth of the year.
The Pride had an out-of-conference game against Rutgers University on Tuesday and picked up its fifth shut out of the year.
Reistetter led the way for the Pride with a game high three RBI’s.
“I think the James Madison weekend was a big aberration,” Russo Said.
 

Junior utility player Austin Nyman (20) warming up in the infield. (Cody Heintz/The Chronicle)